Pure Water's Beauty
by Transient Eclipse
Summary: A story of the Shimizu family, a family that lived through the nightmarish Warring States Period in the Elemental Nations "Land of Fire" where lords were constantly hiring mercenaries and Shinobi to fight battles for them. Assassination plots, treaties and sabotage were such common occurrence that people in the larger cities became used to hearing about the disappearances of towns.
1. Chapter 1: Reminiscing

**AN: So uh, I realized that I should probably rewrite this story at some point or at least the opening becuase its all over the place, but it'll be quite a while before I get around it or post it anyway.**  
_~AN added on the 26th of April 2020_

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A woman with platinum blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin ushered her two children to the backyard to play whilst she saw to a guest, she spoke to her little cherubs softly as she set them down on the porch.

"Kazumi I know it's a lot to ask of you right now but I need you to look after Chimon while Mummy talks with the guest, okay?" Nodding slowly to the children she began standing.

"Don't worry Mummy, I'm a big girl I can take care of anything!" Kazumi said brightly as she nodded back seriously while hugging her younger brother, Chimon babbled and smiled waving at their mother as she went inside.

Sitting down on a cushion Kumi breathed a sigh looking to her babies as they started to wander around the backyard, or more like Kazumi was helping teach Chimon to stand on two feet, turning to the man opposite her she took a deep breath and spoke.

"So let's hear it then, what made you decide to come all the way out here to our little village? Unless it's something as simple as the local lords moving the front line of their little squabbling match to near us" she spoke about the local lords with a bit of animosity in her voice.

"Err… well, you are right, the Lord Nagisa hired out the Sarutobi's or at least a good fifty of them. He wasn't exactly pleased about the last battle where he tried to push his land over at the border to grass more towards the centre of the land of fire, Man was he furious when he heard that his force was undermined by the Uchiha and Senju who were in the middle of fighting, Lady Minoko had the Uchiha's and Lord Fuushin had the Senju's. Anyway, I'm here with the Fuuma, they're all pretty antsy about the last time someone tried to make a push with the Uchihas and Senju being such big players in the squabble for land." Jun said as he sighed rubbing the back of his head.

"Right. But you didn't answer why you specifically are here, right now." Kumi said her brow arching.

"Oh, right. Well, I'm here because its been something like a year and a half since I last saw you and the kiddo's, thought being nearby on a commission was as good a time as any since we last talked Kumi." Jun smiled softly after speaking.

"Hm, has it really been that long? Time sure disappears on you when you're taking care of children. So how have you been anyway Jun? I can't imagine you've given up on trying to marry Himeno have you?" Kumi relaxed her position from on her knees to sitting cross-legged.

"Heh, well my advancements on Himeno have bore fruit and we're in a relationship at the moment, we've been together about six or so months. On the other hand, not much has happened in my life but I did hear about the Uzumaki's making some scary next level seals, oh and the Inuzuka's have these newer bread of dogs that grow really big, like big enough to ride. Hm, I think there was something else… um, what was it again… Oh! Right the Kurama's have this new style that involves paintings and genjutsu" Jun tapped his index finger against his chin trying to remember if there was anything else.

"Sounds interesting, and I'm glad to hear about you and the princess, I was wondering when you two would actually get together. Anyway you wanted to know about what me, Kazumi and Chimon have been up to, well Kazumi is walking and talking fine she's also gotten really good at Kanji and Hiragana, she even picked up a name around with the villagers she doesn't quite get it yet but I'm sure she will, they call her 'Chibi-Kumi'. It always makes me laugh when I hear it. With Chimon though he's starting to talk a little and whenever I leave him with Kazu she's trying to teach him a lot like standing without falling as well as walking" Kumi had a bright smile on her face whilst she thought about her bundles of joy.

"Sounds like you've had a blast? I heard that kids can be a huge hassle at times and that most are complete brats for a long while. Has it been hard with Kojiro as well as Fuugetsu both not being here anymore?" Jun said from the kitchen, he'd gone into it to make some tea for the two of them while Kumi was reminiscing. He sat down handing her a cup as she started to respond.

"Thanks, Hm I don't know about them being brats they've been really good I haven't had any massive problems, Chi is pretty quiet and Kazu has taken to imitating me as much as she can but really nothing that's super troublesome. Speaking of Ko and Fuu though yeah it was pretty hard to lose the both of them like that especially with how close Ko's was with Kazu's birth and then losing Fuu right within the same week as Chi's birth. I hope those two got to meet each other in the otherworld..." As Kumi started falling off the conversation Jun rested a hand on her shoulder giving her a reassuring smile.

"Hey I'm sure they're at each other's throats over whose kid is better or in Ko's case yelling about how his daughter will be as or more beautiful than her mother, I'm sure Fuu would be going on about how his son takes after him and he's gonna be great with the ladies." Kumi started laughing and shaking her head listening to him about what her partners were surely doing on the other side.

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As the sliding door shut Kazumi and Chimon were on the porch, Kazu held her hand out to Chi who reciprocated the action and went with her onto the grass of the backyard. After a few minutes of playing with her brother, Kazu decided to try and help him stand up without falling and also try walking. After ten or so minutes of helping him find his balance, Chi managed to stand on his own for a few seconds, to which Kazu cheered him on for.

"That's awesome Chimon! I'm so proud!" Kazumi said excitedly to him as he plopped onto the grass smiling up at her.

Kazumi started walking around the garden with Chimon and exploring more of the large backyard. At the edge of the large flower gardens that bordered the area. There were all kinds of flowers, Kuroyuri, Lavender, Roses, Lilies and Daffodils. There was a large zen garden at the back of the right corner of the backyard where there was also a Koi pond with a school of them.

Kazu and Chi sat on a little wooden bench next to the pond watching the fish after feeding them from a little tin that had fish food in them. Hanging over them was a large Sakura tree lending its pink leaves to brighten the area.

After a while of watching the fish Kazumi felt hungry and decided to head inside with Chimon in to, only they didn't make it to the screen door right as they were a metre or so from the porch Kazumi heard some rustling behind them when she went to look at it she was suddenly picked up and before she could make a noise she went unconscious.

Chimon screamed.


	2. Chapter 2: Mother's Intuition

**AN: **

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Kumi scooped Chimon up the moment she appeared outside, Jun wore a surprised look at how fast his friend was, she'd been faster than him to get outside. Whilst calming down her two-year-old Kumi looked around alarmed trying to find-

"Where's Kazumi!" she almost shouted it as Jun was already looking around for her.

_'What the hell happened where is she!?'_ Kumi thought to herself before a thought hit her and she quickly spoke to Jun "I know what happened she's been kidnapped, I need you to look for her or the kidnapper in the village I've got the forest behind the garden" and with that Jun disappeared off into the village, while Kumi readjusted Chimon in her arms she started moving into the forest.

_'I can't believe I forgot about the warning Kojiro gave me, darn it, damn it! Little Kazu doesn't look like her father and I think that's a blessing in disguise but, someone must have found out about her somehow. I need to calm down and use this Chakra sensing thing that Ko taught me. After a few moments, she noticed a faint trace of Chakra heading North-east of her. Following the trail through the forest, she noticed the person was highly likely to be some Shinobi that got hired to kidnap targets that they could use as bargaining chips over clans.'_

Kumi came upon an opening when she slowed down to watch what was going on. Standing at the edge of the area behind foliage she saw three Shinobi, they all wore green cloaks over tight fitted black clothing and padded sandals. Each of them had a Chokuto across the back of their waists. They were all stood in the middle of the clearing and the one holding Kazumi was the closest to Kumi, building a plan in her head and laying out her attack Kumi watched over the area. After a minute or so she was ready and she moved.

The man holding Kazumi choked out spit as Kumi's foot planted itself in his gut knocking him to the ground unconscious, She caught Kazu but before she could attack the other two she was knocked to the ground, she guarded her children with her body. She heard something whiz by followed by a short choking sound and a thump. Turning back to where the Shinobi were she saw their bodies and saw someone familiar…

"Kojiro…?"

He looked off from her memory he had short messy black hair, grey eyes, olive skin, an athletic figure, he was wearing a blue baggy shirt and pants, he also had grey samurai bracers and Suneate with black tabi, he had a weapon belt that has a Kusarigama hanging off it. '_No that's not Kojiro, who is-'_

"Whaddya say, Kumi? Are you alright and is Kazumi unharmed?"

Letting her eyes adjust to the light of the sun behind the man she saw Jun standing over her with a worried look offering her a hand, she took the hand and stood with Kazumi and Chimon in her arms, Jun taking Kazumi out of her arms for her.

"Err… uh no I didn't say anything.. And yeah Kazumi's fine she's just unconscious, I'm glad she wasn't awake for that though" Kumi started back toward the house through the forest. When they arrived back in the yard after a silent journey Kumi put the kids in their room, as she sat down on the porch looking out at the garden Jun came over and leaned against one of the beams.

"Hey, Kumi?"

"Yes?"

"How'd you know where the Shinobi were? Did Fu and Ko teach you about Chakra and using it?" Jun shifted on his feet finding a comfortable pose.

"Yeah Ko did, we were together for five or so years, after all, he thought it would be good to start teaching me to defend myself and the kids, he had planned on teaching Kazu as well but y'know… Fu taught me some simple hand to hand forms that someone like myself could pick up as well as told me about some stuff that might happen with Chimon when he gets older and how to deal with them."

"So you don't know any Jutsu then? Just hand to hand and small enhancements?"

"Yeah, both Ko and Fu said it would be far too dangerous to teach me any Jutsu because I hadn't built reserves from when I was a child, said it could kill me if I tried something with such little to draw from, though Ko did teach me about sensing Chakra residue which is how I found the Shinobi earlier ye-" a creak from behind her stopped her as she turned to see a green eye peeking through the crack of the screen door. Kumi smiled and laughed softly before speaking.

"Kazu you can out here if you want I'm not saying anything you don't need to hear, we're just talking about earlier and about Dad" Kazumi flung the door open and tackled Kumi in a hug.

"Mummy..." Kazu tightened her grip around her mother's waist.

"It's okay Kazu it was a scary situation, you don't have to worry though your safe now and uncle Jun is here to make sure it stays that way" Kumi stroked Kazumi's hair as she spoke.

"You talked about Chakra what's that?" Kazumi said looking to Kumi's face.

"Well it's the mental and spiritual energies, you can use it to make yourself faster and stronger"

"Can you teach me and Chi so I can defend myself next time? And so I can protect you as well..." Jun was smiling like an idiot on the other side of Kumi.

"Hey, Kiddo what about me I can teach you as well if you guys ever decide to become Shinobi I can retire and teach you" Jun looked happy at the idea of retiring though Kumi assumed it was more to do with him spending time with Himeno.

"Uncle Jun can we start now or tomorrow?!" Kazumi basically shouted at him.

"Uh sure we can start tomorrow if you want, I don't need to meet up with the Fuuma for a week" Jun scratched the back of his head looking to Kumi who nodded in response.

"Now how about I make dinner.."

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The next morning an hour before Jun was meant to arrive for Kazumi's lessons, Kumi set off into the village to buy groceries, the market stalls were about twenty-odd minutes of walking through the residential area to get there. Kumi noticed there was a few more Shinobi around the markets they were all wearing a shuriken emblem on their clothing leading her to realise that it was the Fuuma clan members that Jun had mentioned being here to work with.

As she was finishing up at her last stop in the market the woman that ran the stall started a conversation with her.

"How've you been Kumi? Your little ones been giving you any trouble?"

"No they've been fine Oko, what about yourself? You had any interesting customers heard any rumours?"

"Hm I'm doing well these days, my husband got a job on the caravan and as far as interesting customers and rumours? Well you've already seen the Shinobi around they're quite the bunch aren't they?" Oko packed the food into a crate for Kumi while they talked.

"Mm, so the caravan then? How does Kyohei like it? I remember it being mostly easyish work, for the most part, can't imagine he isn't a little bored doing the rounds across Fire, the money's good but most everyone here is already pretty well off. Hell if half of the merchants and traders here put aside their differences and wanted to work together they could probably fund a couple wars or start a new capital city" Kumi lifted the crate up off the bench Oko had set it on.

"Well you are right about the wealth of the traders and merchants but Kyohei has said he's enjoying the travel and being able to make all these new connections across the country, even said he met with and got a deal with a Shinobi clan they were the… hm, Uchida? No Uchiga? What was the name again-"

"Uchiha's" Kumi interjected before the woman could make any more botched guesses.

"That's the one! He said he met a fellow named Tajima also said he had quite a few kids, Kyohei also mentioned seeing one of the kids his oldest, only 4! Spit fire!"

"I had heard that Shinobi are quite powerful and mature faster than civilians like ourselves, Well it was fun talking to you Oko but I need to get home to make sure the house isn't on fire" Kumi heard Oko huff a laugh saying something about kids not realising that Kumi had been semi-serious about what she said. The house wasn't on fire when she got home but she did hear Kazu complaining about running and she could also hear Chi babbling while watching. After she put all the things she brought away and stepped out in the backyard Jun was watching Kazu run around it and giving her encouragements to keep going and Chi was sitting on the porch gumming a toy, Kumi scooped up Chi and kissed his forehead before saying hello to Jun who waved and said hi back. Kazumi stopped running when she noticed her mother and went over to her giving her a hug before complaining.

"Mummy! Uncle has been making me run around the entire backyard and a track he cut out in the forest!" Kazu glared at Jun who shrugged back.

"A good base for starting on Chakra is by starting with exercise and training so that later on when you overexert yourself with Chakra it would be as bad as it could be" Jun explained looking to Kazu who stuck her tongue out in response.

"Kazu how about you give it some time I'm sure there's a method to your uncles' madness even if it makes no sense now in a few years you might be thanking him for getting you to be able to run long distances without tiring yourself." Jun feigned being wounded when Kumi talked about his methods but ultimately smiled waiting for Kazumi to join him again, which she did after getting something to drink.

While Jun was doing his training with Kazumi, Kumi had been working on what little Chakra she could use and slowly improving her enhancements. After the initial week that Jun was able to spend with them, he came back once a month for three to five days to make sure Kazu was on track and to increase her load in increments so she wouldn't realize how much better she was. Kumi was thoroughly proud of Kazu making her walk around with an almost indefinite smile. The months dragged on and Kazumi turned 5 and not too long after Chimon turned 3, Chimon was now starting to speak more coherently while Kazumi continued to be more and more like her mother getting more "Mini Kumi" from the other people in the village. It was also around this time that Kumi wanted to move a small settlement that was near the centre of the Land of Fire.

The new house they lived in was a similar size to the last but with an even larger backyard, it wouldn't take too long for Kumi to make it look just like the old one, with the larger backyard came more space for her children to play or in Kazumi's case train and practice. One of the benefits of where they moved to was Himeno and Jun living in the same area so Jun would be able to come over to train more often and also meant Kumi would have a better chance to catch up with Himeno.

Kazumi took to the new backyard like wildfire running around the huge open space, the area they had also had some of the forests that backed it making the area they owned roughly 25 by 50 metres from what Kumi had been told.

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As time went on and the war between all of the lords continued only getting worse when the Uchiha and Senju became mortal enemies to one another after so many confrontations. Kazumi's 7th and Chimon's 5th birthdays came and went, Jun started training the two of them together and it was at this point Kazumi was able to do a few small Jutsu and her little brother was able to use his Chakra for enhancements. Kumi had decided that she was content with where she was with it and stopped leaving the cool abilities and techniques to her children to learn.

Himeno and Jun's wedding came and went, the Shimizu's went to it and Kumi revelled in the chance to interact with more people and finally not have to worry about a baby unable to do things for itself. Another thing people ended up celebrating that day was that Himeno was pregnant. Jun made faces of pure horror jokingly when Hime announced it to the party.

There was a local river that Jun took the kid to train at that had a Mountain nearby that looked out over the huge forest, Jun always made the kids race from the bottom of the mountain to the top using Chakra to keep themselves upright on the wall. There were a few falling incidents where he had to catch them but other than that he thought their training was going extremely well considering they were doing better than he had when he was Kazumi's age.

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**AN: So I want to mention it now that there will be some time skips at the start here until the story evens out at a point where I can actually write the kids, seeing as you can't really have a three-year-old having proper conversations. Anyway tthat'sall I have to say for now.**


	3. Chapter 3, Chakra Rush

A small girl with waist length platinum blonde hair done up in a loop bun, seaweed green eyes, a pale complexion wearing black pants and shirt with grey Jika-tabi, and a boy with shoulder-length white hair with light blue highlights, sage green eyes, a very pale complexion, wearing blue pants and shirt with black Jika-tabi. These two children ran through a forest at their full speed away from a man chasing them down, they could hear him yelling to them but not what he was saying. They closed in on a tall cliff face and quickly dashed up it.

Kazumi collapsed onto her back panting and breathing heavily watching Chimon stumble past her only to fall to the ground worn out. Moments later Jun appeared next to them making the two jump slightly at the suddenness, Jun pulled out two water bottles before speaking.

"You two need to get up and jog around for a few minutes so your bodies come down from the energy high properly and then I'll hand you the water" he watched as the 7 and 5-year-old got up still panting and started jogging around the plateau they were on. They came back after five or so minutes of winding down and basically ripped the bottles from the older man's grasp.

Waiting for them to recover and rest for a bit longer Jun pulled a book out of is back pocket, Chimon attempted to splash a little water on the book to get his attention but instead before he could react he was on his back with Jun standing over him smiling and he poured a few drops of the water on Chi's face. Kazumi giggled from beside them.

"Right so if you guys are ready to begin then let's start with chakra moulding and enhancing, Kazu I want to see you do the Jutsu I taught you last month and I want to see how much better you are" Jun stepped back keeping Chi in the corner of his eye while he watched Kazumi start moulding chakra and doing hand signs.

Thirty seconds later after Kazumi had formed the hand signs and got the right amount of chakra she blew out a small stream of fire that quickly fizzled out. She looked expectantly to Jun to see what he thought but his face didn't show much emotion other than a normal smile.

"That was really good Kazu, considering you've only had a month to practice I'd say that was pretty good. I look forward to the day when you can blow a flame the size of a building" He ruffled her hair and told her to keep practising while he checked on Chimon. When he walked over to her brother he was sitting cross-legged making a leaf float with chakra.

"Alright, kiddo today lets have you enhance _every_ part of your body with chakra if you get lost just try to think of it like water running through canals around your body" Jun watched as Chimon stood and began to send chakra around himself. His face scrunched up when he reached an impasse but after a few seconds he relaxed and then suddenly he turned to water and fell onto the ground.

"I guess I did say like water..."

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"Damn it Kumi stop laughing and tell me what happened to your son, and why he's currently a puddle of water!"

Kumi had come to visit them while they trained and found Jun freaking out and Kazumi poking the puddle that was now her brother. Kumi calmed down after a few minutes and patted Jun's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Chimon I need you to stop moulding chakra and then you should become a person again." she watched as he morphed back into himself, Kumi ruffled his hair and hugged him before speaking.

"Now my little 'puddle of wisdom' I guess now is the time me to help teach you about something your father taught me about in case this happened" She offered a hand to Chi and went down the hill to the nearby river leaving Jun to continue with Kazu.

The river was twenty odd feet across with a stone bank either side with heavy forests backing either side as well. Standing on the bank Kumi asked Chimon to put chakra into his feet and shoes then try to walk out onto the water to show what she meant she walked out onto the river and waited for him.

"Chi don't worry if you can't do it for a while this is just sort of something that will help with what I'm actually going to teach you. Also, you're really ahead for a five-year-old it's almost insane how good you and your sister have become, to say the least, I'm super proud of you Chi so do your best" Chimon was beaming and nodded before stepping out onto the water.

A few minutes of Chi testing the waters lead to him to attempting standing on it and that's when he fell in and got soaked getting a muffled laugh from his mother who came over and helped him to the bank before sitting down to watch him. Half an hour later of trying Chimon was exhausted and it was around that time that Jun and Kazumi appeared leading to Kazumi showing off her progress of the "Dragon Flame Jutsu". It had started to look like a dragon a little more.

Kazumi ended up going back to the house on Kumi's back and Chimon in her arms. Jun had offered to take one of them but she declined saying it was fine. When they reached the house Kumi dropped the two off on the porch before heading inside to make food and something to drink. Jun disappeared after the food leaving Kumi only to realise when she didn't see him around the house, she guessed he got called home via pidgeon seeing as he normally spent a little more time at the house.

Time bled on and two months passed Kazumi was slowly getting better at the fire Jutsu and Chimon was able to walk on water for five minutes at a time in which Kumi normally barraged him with stones to make him better at dodging, it wasn't part of what Fuugetsu had told her to do while helping him master the Water Transformation Jutsu, but she felt it would help him in the long run and she found it a little funny to watch her son dive around dodging the small stones.

Jun and Himeno were also now expecting in six or so months, with said fact came more and more visits from Himeno herself to Kumi to which she wasn't bothered by seeing how little she saw of her friend despite how often she saw Jun for Kazu and Chi's training. Kumi had always thought her friend quite beautiful as Himeno had shoulder-blade length Black hair with violet highlights, amber eyes, tan complexion, a curvy figure, whilst she normally wears a deep blue with lighter shades of blue kimono that has black trimming. There was something about her that always made her look pretty to Kumi and she imagined that went tenfold for Jun seeing as he'd been chasing princess for so long.

While Kumi was speaking with Hime, the princess decided to ask when her birthday was, Kumi's response was delayed a few moments when she had to think about it having not cared much for remembering how old she was since Kazumi's birth.

"Hm if Kazumi is seven then I must be coming up on thirty in a few months" Kumi looked to her tea thoughtfully while she tried to remember how old either of her partners would be.

"Well it's August now so is your birthday in October? Hm that's not too far off I think we should throw you a birthday party, I'm sure you haven't celebrated one since you were with Fuugetsu" Himeno put her hand to her chin as she thought of ideas for the party.

"I'd argue with you about this I don't care enough to want to stop you I'm sure you'll make it a wondrous event for everyone and I look forward to that, by the way, my birthday is on the 16th so you actually know when it is instead of prying Jun for answers when he gets home from the mission"

"I totally wouldn't do that at- ah you know me too well and it's not like it'd be hard to get it out of him"

"I like to think I know all my friends well enough to understand what they'd do in most given situations, also I'm not even sure if he knows when my birthday is he does always get me a gift but it's at random points every year though he's started keeping it within a timeframe of July to October it's still a long period of time but eh" it was at this point Kazu and Chi ran past outside and Kumi heard Kazu challenge her little brother to a race from the backyard to the river bank near where they trained, Chi accepted and sped off.

"I'm looking forward to the day I get to watch my kids do stuff like that" Hime commented as she watched Kazu and Chi go off.

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Kumi went through the motions of explaining to Chimon about the transformation Jutsu and watched as he did them repeatedly, he had gotten relatively good at going in an out of the Jutsu and now used it to dodge the stones and pebbles that his mother threw his way while he stood on the river practising water walking. Kazumi stood out on the water next to him having learned earlier in the month about it, she was there particularly because Jun had errands to run and a wife to look after so Kazumi had been training with her brother and mother. When it was about midday Kumi got her kids to pack up and they headed back to the house when they arrived going in through the screen door Kumi jumped back slightly as Jun, Himeno, Inoue, Otsu, Kyou and Shirou all yelled surprise.

"Uh… what?" Kumi said unceremoniously as she looked at the scene before her of her friends as they had put up a banner that read "Happy Birthday Kumi!" and behind them was a table with a cake on it and some other foods, she noticed that most of them were her favourites and that there was a bottle of Sake there as well.

Himeno had a big smile pasted across her face as she watched the scenario play out of watching her husband and their friends give gifts to the dumbstruck blonde before them, She also watched as Kazu and Chi looked glossy eyed at the whole thing. Kumi was talking with Inoue and Otsu when Himeno walked over to ask her about how she was enjoying the Party so far.

"-o I've been working on the caravan and recently one of the Shinobi we hired was one of the Uchiha, he was rather cold and distant quite pale too a little ghostly she was quite the character, she did start talking to us a few hours in though I imagine she was just as bored as us and wanted something to do seeing as she had those infamous red eyes of theirs-" Inoue made motions with his hands as he spoke.

"The Sharingan" Kumi interjected.

"Yes that's it, she was always using hers. Right, so it was pretty terrifying to see them in action she froze ten bandits all at once with a glance! and several of them collapsed convulsing it was violent, to say the least. She killed them for good measure so I can't say we didn't get our moneys worth hiring an Uchiha" Inoue motioned to Otsu to speak when he was finished.

"Kumi I must ask how is it Kazumi and Chimon are so well behaved not to discredit you but I had my fair share of problems while raising Yuusuke and Omaru so I just can't in good faith believe it was all you" Otsu looked a little disgruntled while she spoke.

"Oh well I honestly don't know if I had to take a guess I'd say it was their fathers, they were quite subdued and relaxed people. Kazumi definitely got her sense of humour from her father and Chimon got his quietness from his father" Kumi just shrugged unapologetically about the situation.

"Oh, Hime you want to talk?" Kumi asked turning to face her friend.

"Yeah, I was wondering how you were enjoying the party and whatnot" Himeno sat down with them.

"I'm doing fine, and thank you so much for this it been the most fun I've had in awhile, couldn't ask for anything better" Kumi hugged her pregnant friend.

Kumi went and talked to Jun, Kyou and Shirou afterwards, Jun had the pleasure of keeping Kazumi and Chimon in line or particularly to stop them from eating through all the food. Jun was talking to Shirou about what kind of Jutsu she'd picked up recently.

"-as a pretty frightening Jutsu to see in action, it takes quite a bit to build the chakra and do all the hand signs but aside from that getting to see the look on peoples faces as a giant water dragon bears down on them is probably the best part of the Jutsu" Shirou wore a wicked grin on her face as she told a story about how she 'swamped' some other Shinobi wielding a Katana with said Jutsu. Chi and Kazu were both glued to the story and asking all sorts of questions, Kazu was asking about getting Shirou to teach her it and Chi asked about requirements for performing the Jutsu.

"Well to answer Kazumi first, I'm not sure about that maybe in a few years when you've got bigger reserves and when you're better at chakra control. As you Chimon, the requirements are just the control, the reserves and having a large water source nearby to draw from otherwise it's a lot of trial and error like most Jutsu"

"We can't forget the time when you were learning the Jutsu and you nearly drowned because you just uplifted a large pond onto yourself" Kyou interject laughing at the way Shirou huffed blushing and tried to deny her claims about what happened. Kyou had to take a moment to stop herself from laughing as much as she was when Shirou made to punch her, Kyou sidestepped Shirou's playful punch letting the calloused fist graze her brown hair. Kyou rolled her eyes at the flustered red-haired woman. Jun was laughing under his breath at the two.

"Sounds like a learning curve in the Jutsu from what I'm hearing," Kumi said from the side, getting the attention of the group. Kyou grinned viscously before speaking.

"Well you could say that or you might call it an idiot reading the scroll she had for the technique upside down and performing it wrong" Shirou was struggling to keep her face from betraying her as she continued to flush squawking indignantly.

"I told you to _never _tell _anyone _about that! I'll end you Kyou!" despite Shirou's darker complexion it seemed it was capable of becoming quite pink. Kumi watched as the two went off at one another, Kyou looking like she might burst with laughter pretending to take everything Shirou said seriously. Jun was laughing and shaking his head, Kazu was giggling and Chimon was a little confused.

Sometime after the party ended, Himeno and Jun went home, Kyou and Shirou had gone off to spar somewhere at least five miles away at the request of Kumi who also suggested that she trained with Kazu and Chi near. Inoue headed off to a nearby friend's he was staying with and Otsu went to go run some errands of her own. Kumi had taken to relaxing on the tatami floors of one of the rooms that opened out to the backyard watching Kazumi and Chimon play in the garden she was slowly making look like their old one. Kumi woke up on the tatami floor with Kazu snuggled up against her left side under her arm and with Chi doing the same on the right.

_This is one of those moments I wish you two were here to see, to see your children growing up and enjoying themselves without a care in the world. Kojiro Fuugetsu are you watching us right now? Can you see your little rascals because if not I'm not afraid of dragging you out to see this. _Kumi huffed a soft laugh as she looked at the two bodies snuggled up to her. There truly wasn't anything better in the world to her right now than watching her children like this as she began to doze off again.


	4. Chapter 4, Introductions are Key

**AN:**

* * *

A thick mist engulfed the river bank seeping out over the water, Chimon slipped through it near silently, Kazumi dodged to the side of a small rock that went flying by, she sucked in a breath making hand signs before exhaling a deep red, yellow and orange flame shaped like a dragon at least three metres in width and height. The flame sparked and writhed as it blew the mist away heading toward Chimon who was standing on the water, he transformed into water before it could hit him causing a massive amount of steam to well up around him as he slipped back to the shore becoming solid again. Kazumi leapt back to the bank landing next to Chimon when Jun appeared next to them.

"Well, you kids have definitely come some way in two years, only nine and seven years old and you kids are making me look bad with how fast you improve" Jun looked too pleased with himself about having been apart of the reason for their progress.

"Of course we'd be better than you, you stopped working as a shinobi when Himeno got pregnant with Takumi so we've had all the time in the world to outpace you." Kazumi smiled as Jun feigned being struck by an arrow when she spoke.

"Come on Kazu he's getting too old to for this to be much of a comparison" Chimon ducked under the older man's arm as he swiped at Chi.

"Right well if you two are still so lively after that spar then I want you to race me to the mountain top then to the house" The two kids groaned before readying themselves.

"Go!"

The moment the words left his mouth Kazumi and Chimon were off at amazing speeds weaving and diving through the forest, they dodged a giant shadow as a piece of a boulder slammed down between them. Jun dashed by with sticks in his arms, when they caught up to him he threw the bundle toward them only for Kazu to bat them aside speeding up. When they reached the plateau Jun gave himself a push with wind chakra to shot off the mountain faster leaving the kids to fall behind him but not for long as they pumped their legs with more chakra throwing them his way, Jun slowed down as they approached the backyard landing softly on the grass before cooly strolling toward the porch were Kumi was sat reading, moments later Kazu and Chi came crashing out on the grass landing in a tumble rolling a few times before ending up in a sitting position.

Jun waved at the two while Kumi laughed.

"You cheated!" Both Kazumi and Chimon stated as they got up off the grass.

"I never said I was going to play fair also I never really went all out I just wanted to push you two a little more. Kazumi you're amazing with the Jutsu I've taught you and you use them well, Chimon your very wise for your age making your strategies are well thought out but there's one thing you two still haven't gotten yet that I'd rather you didn't but will come eventually and that's actual combat " Kumi nodded to Jun's points.

"Hey, Mum? I know it's kinda irrelevant to the current topic but what actually happened to our Dad's?" Kazumi asked as she sat down next to Kumi on the porch, o so smoothly changing the topic.

"Well Kazumi, since that was such a good topic change, I guess it's fair that I tell you two right now if you want to know, Kazumi your father Kojiro was killed by his sibling and Chimon your father Fuugetsu was killed by a powerful shinobi." Kumi looked to her Daughter and Son to see their reactions and awaited their questions.

"Why would Dads sibling kill him? Did they hate him so much?" Kazumi looked puzzled not quite understanding how someone could hate their sibling her having only known the close relationship with Chimon as an example.

"Well, that's kind of hard for me to answer, I never met your Aunty as your father distanced himself heavily from his family so I never understood the situation fully. I only found out about his Sister when I found something Kojiro left me a little before he died" Kumi looked to Kazu to gauge her reaction.

"Hm..." Kazumi didn't seem to really like the answer, leaving Chimon to ask next.

"So what happened to father then?" Chimon looked concerned for the answer he might get hoping it wasn't like his sisters' answer.

"Lets see here Chi, your father had gone to do his final mission as a shinobi before he wanted to retire to take care of you, your sister and me but sadly he was attacked by someone far stronger than he was and was killed I only found out about that a bit after your birth when the merchants he was with came back from their trip." Kumi watched to gauge her seven-year-olds reaction as well as looking to Kazumi as she'd gone a little more quiet than usual.

"Alright, thank you for telling us," Chimon said without much emotion, which was one of the few things she'd disliked that he'd gotten from his father he was apathetic at times when she wanted him to have emotion and it had only gotten worse over time.

"If you two are alright and are feeling as hungry as your stomachs make you sound then let's head inside for food, seeing as Jun left we can have whatever you two want, my treat." Kumi offered a hand to her children both taking it as she walked them inside and sat them down. They both piped up to what they wanted when she entered the kitchen.

"I want Yakisoba," Kazumi said basically instantly coming out of her funk.

"I would like Takoyaki" Chimon spoke with more emotion as well.

_Well, I knew I would have to talk about it someday but I imagined it would take longer, hopefully, it doesn't bother them too much, especially Kazumi she seemed __extra stumped. _

* * *

A few days after Kazumi and Chimon found out about their fathers Kazumi was out by the river walking around in a Yukata her mother had gotten her for her ninth birthday, the Yukata was white with a purple trimming, it also had a few large flower patterns that were different shades of purple. Chimon had already headed home and Jun didn't come for training due to Himeno so Kazu decided to walk around the area they so often spent their time in over the years. She enjoyed walking through the brush a lot, having the time to just think about things while she walked around the river bank.

While walking along it she noticed a boy that looked to be about her age sitting quite a bit farther down the bank solemn-faced skimming stones across the water alone. Kazu tilted her head slightly as she watched the boy pick up stone after stone skimming them with great accuracy, he seemed lost in thought as she unconsciously walked towards the boy noticing his thin frame, brown hair that was cut quite evenly around his face, he was wearing a blue shirt, a open t-shirt on top of that with baggy shorts.

As Kazumi got closer to the boy she could almost feel the sadness emanating from him, when she was within hearing range his head perked up to see her walking on the bank stones clattering softly as she made her way to him. He seemed conflicted about whether to ask her something or to just up and leave but before he could decide she was a few feet from him and spoke.

"Are you alright you look really sad? Did you lose someone?" Kazumi kneeled down next to him with a soft smile ready to listen to what he had to say.

"I er.. Uh, yeah I did a family member died recently" the boy didn't expand further so Kazumi didn't question further.

"My name is Kazumi," she said as if to the world itself rather than an introduction to the boy.

"Hashirama"

After saying his name the two sat in silence for a while just watching the river, Hashirama occasionally skimming stones. Not much more before they'd have been there for an hour Kazumi remembered she needed to head home before her mother came looking for her and so she got said farewell to Hashirama and left. When she arrived home her mother was in the midst of getting ready to go looking for her and stopped once she saw her, her mother offered her the food she'd cooked for them and went out into the backyard to read a book. Chi was in the garden practising his water transformation more, he'd started walking around with a water bottle because he needed to be hydrated when did it otherwise he got super dehydrated and in a few instances threw up because of it since then their mother made him take a bottle with him everywhere.

The day buzzed by without much notice as the Shimizu family did their own things leaving one another to peace and quiet. Most days were like this for the family slow and routine filled such as the kids' routines, Kazumi and Chimon woke up got dressed had breakfast, cleaned themselves up(brushing teeth etc.) then headed to train in the yard unless they wanted to do Jutsu then they went to the river bank, after that they'd come home around that point Kumi would have lunch made for them, after they'd split off to do their own things or maybe have small competitions around the house. Kumi's routine was similar in a way, after she woke up and got dressed she'd make herself breakfast, clean up, go out and buy groceries, think about what to cook that day, feed Kazu and Chi then relax until dinner or until her kids needed her, sometimes her friends would come over or she might go visit them. Such as today where Shirou said she'd come over in the afternoon and stay for dinner.

When Shirou got to the house she had turned up in a more casual look than her work outfit that she normally wore, she had her raspberry-red hair tied into a low ponytail and her amber eyes ever catlike, she wore a navy blue tank top and pants with black sandals.

"Kumi! I'm here your house is a square and Kyou isn't here to ruin things" Shirou announced as she walked into the house before looking around and speaking again.

"Unless she is here? Then I'm leaving or challenging her to a spar and I'll win for this time she cheats every time we spar" Kumi shook her head as she walked down the hallway to the genkan.

"No sadly whilst it would be funny for me to watch you to go at it the last time I allowed you two to spar nearby Jun had to put the plateau back together" Kumi hugged Shirou and walked with her back into the living room where Kazu was at the table working on her reading and writing having recently picked up a love for poetry and literature.

Shirou sat down at the table as Kumi went into the kitchen and made tea for the two of them, though she brought out a third cup for Kazumi if she wanted some.

"So Kumi, I finally found that guy I was looking for, he was clanless Shinobi from Wind that uses these rather odd puppets to fight. When I was talking to him about the puppets he brought up art and went off about them being a immortalization of his work, it was kinda weird but other than that small tidbit I think we got along fine. He's definitely a keeper" Shirou said the last part adamantly nodding to herself.

"Was he the one you meet a few months ago? The one who was on the guard for some dignitary from Wind that came to meet with the Lord you were working under at the time?" Kumi sipped her tea reading what her daughter was writing as she spoke.

"Yeah, I'm going to try convi-"

* * *

Kazumi considered the boy she'd meet at the river a friend, she'd only seen him that first time and not since but nonetheless, he was a friend in her eyes. So, in turn, she kept an eye out for him over the days weeks and months that passed afterwards, she had hope that he was alive and nothing had happened to him but said hope wavered a little when she had heard from Kyou and Shirou on separate occasions that the Senju and Uchiha had a pretty huge grudge against one another and so their battlefields often were massive and had casualties of civilians. Kazumi wasn't a hundred per cent sure if Hashirama was civilian but he seemed to be so she hoped he and his family didn't get caught up in those huge fights. Well that was until one day she was walking along the river bank and saw a different boy sitting down and skimming stones across the river and she noticed Hashirama come up behind him and skim one across perfectly then said something that got the other boy to yell back at him sending Hashirama into a funk for a few seconds.

She arrived with a smile and a wave walking up to the boys and speaking.

"Hello again! And Hello to you as well I'm Kazumi nice to meet you." she extended her hand to the new boy who reciprocated the gesture mumbling 'Madara' back to her.

* * *

**AN: Hello again, I know that basically, every person who writes fanfiction says this at least once but leaving reviews is awesome if you can do it, be it asking questions about things happening in the chapter, maybe your thoughts of the story so far or lastly criticism or things you'd like to see improved in the story. But yeah, this was just that one time a story PSA about reviews because they truly are helpful.**


	5. Chapter 5, From strangers to Friends

**AN:**

* * *

While their meeting was brief especially after a shinobi washed up in the river and the two boys disappeared Kazumi walked back beaming at having made a new friend alongside Hashirama, Madara the boy said his name was. She liked him there was something about him that seemed familiar like Déjà-vu that made her ultimately trust him, she knew it sounded weird but that was okay with her. She couldn't contain her excitement for meeting with them again. Chimon asked her about why she was so excited, and she had ever so proudly said she'd made two friends.

"Really? What're their names and what are they like?" Chimon looked to her thoroughly intrigued by these people.

"Hashirama and Madara! They're both kinda quiet boys, oh! Hashirama gets depressed easily and likes Madara, while Madara is uncomfortable with people standing behind him, not sure why but eh" She was still slightly beaming when their mother came into the living room half an hour later to call them for lunch and talk to them about something she claimed importantly.

"That's pretty cool, when are you going to spend time with them again? I'd like to meet them." after speaking Chimon hurried into the living room where Kumi had made Katsudon for them.

Plopping down next to Kumi with Kazu across from him Chi thanked their mother for the food and dug in enjoying the rice and pork dish. Kumi was thoroughly pleased with how the food she'd made turned out and could see Chi and Kazu enjoyed it a lot. _Gotta remember to make this another time _she thought idly to herself.

When they were finished, and the table was cleared, dishes cleaned Kumi finally got to what it was she wanted to talk to them about.

"Right, so Kazumi, Chimon, I want to talk to you about what it is you two want to do for a job I know Kazu's turning ten soon and you're 8 Chi, but this is something I think you're both ready to at least consider. I know you two have been training as Shinobi with Jun but I don't want you to feel like that's what you have to do. There are a plethora of other jobs like becoming a merchant such as I am or was. So I want you to have a think about continuing as Shinobi or becoming something else, I'll support you no matter what it is you choose." Chi put his hand on his chin and began thinking but Kazu immediately answered having thought about it before.

"That's easy Mum! I wanna become a super powerful Shinobi and help make the world a better place, like stopping all the Shinobi clans that Jun told us about and having them make a big truce so there's peace" Kazumi said cheerily beaming.

Kumi watched as Chimons face scrunched up and changed as he thought about everything when he finally came to a decision he nodded to himself as though confirming it was the right choice and spoke.

"Shinobi, to help Kazumi with her goal and to become stronger than Dad"

"I sort of mean to take a few days or years to think about it, and so you still do I'm not about to let you make a choice you regret but keep in mind how hard life will be as a Shinobi." and with that, the talk was finished.

* * *

It was Kazumi's birthday, July 11th. She was 10 today. Kumi watched as her daughter excitedly examined her gifts from herself, Jun/Himeno, Shirou, Inoue and Kyou. Jun and Himeno had gotten her an engraved Tanto and some kunai, Shirou gave her a scroll with some fire Jutsu on it, Inoue got her a Kimono and Kyou gave her a list of times she was free during the week, so she could train with Kyou or learn stuff from her. Kumi's gift was simply a flute and some equipment for her writing and poetry. Kazumi thanked everyone that for her stuff a hundred times over, before she disappeared into her room putting the stuff away, so she could enjoy the little party with everyone except Jun and Himeno who hadn't made it due to their daughter still being only a few months old, Kyou had picked up their things and brought them to her for them.

"Mum, can I use the Kunai in the backyard?" Kumi watched her daughter with a smile before agreeing and moving the party outside so she could keep an eye on Kazu.

Kyou, Shirou, Inoue and Kumi sat in various parts of the backyard, Kyou and Shirou were on the grass in front of the porch at a small table drinking Sake enjoying themselves giving guidance and suggestions to Kazu as she practised with her new tools. Inoue sat on the porch itself outside the door watching Kazumi and Chimon start a competition to see who could throw the straightest and Kumi watched from the grass laying down, the longer she watched the more she felt like she was watching Fuugetsu and Kojiro do one of the rivalrous challenges they used to do when they had time.

_The two men stood opposite one another readying themselves, Kojiro's black eyes bore into Fuugetsu's lilac as the two waited for Kumi who they'd asked to be the judge of the match to call it to start. She sliced her hand down through the air and the boys disappeared into the forest at incomprehensible speeds to Kumi and knowing she really couldn't do much to see what was happening she sat down on a tree stump sighing and waiting for them to return._

_Fuugetsu watched as his dark-haired friend kept ahead of him and slightly slowed down just enough to say something before going off again at full speed "I'm going to marry Kumi" Kojiro stated making Fuugetsu stumble and nearly trip as he tried to keep himself stable he was confused about what he'd said until it sank in. The two had both had strong feelings for Kumi for years but never acted on them so when Kojiro just up and announced he was going to it made Fuugetsu have a momentary lapse. Breaking back out into the clearing Kojiro was standing next to Kumi smile making his pale skin brighten as he ran a hand through his jet-black hair and said something about slowpokes._

_Unbeknownst to Kumi she watched as the two playfully roughed each other up but what was really on their minds was what Kojiro had said to make Fuugetsu lose, he wasn't sure if he was serious about what he said but if he was Fuu didn't want to get in their way as he'd known for a while that Kumi had feelings for Ko. _

Kumi had remembered what Fuu had told her about that particular match so well because it was something that helped her remember what they were like, Fuu despite being in love with her at the time wanted to help her and Ko get together seeing their happiness as more important than his own. She'd told him when they'd had the conversation that she'd actually had a crush on both of them but could never find her confidence to tell them. Kumi remembered the shock on Fuu's face when heard that and how he couldn't believe it for a few minutes before bursting into laughter realizing how hopeless at love they had all been.

Looking to the sky Kumi watched the clouds pass overhead and thought about what they looked like, though she was interrupted when Kazumi called to her to help be a judge with Shirou and Kyou for her and Chimons challenge. She moved to the table the other 'Judges' were at and was handed some Sake by Shirou, they watched as the kids took turns each using three kunai per turn and throwing from increasing distances. Kazu and Chi managed to make it roughly fifteen meters from the target before they started missing it and the tree entirely leaving the 'Judges' to call them for the final verdict.

"Hm, well you kiddos pick up stuff super-fast and already have such good throwing arms but, I'm going to have to say my vote is with… Kazumi" Shirou emphasized her point by pointing at the birthday girl.

"I think Chimon won," Kyou said flatly getting a rise out of Shirou for not having any flare to her words.

"I'm quite impartial and think my vote is tainted so you'll just have to bribe me into telling you my answer" Kumi got a smirk from Shirou and a hand covered face with a smile across it. Kazumi and Chimon off into the house.

When they came out Chimon brought her the book she'd recently started and Kumi brought her two letters one from Ko and one from Fuugetsu. The letters made Kumi remember something she needed to give Kazumi and Chimon after everyone had gone home.

"Right so my verdict is… I think you both win!" Shirou looked disappointed and Kyou laughed at the reactions it got from the kids as Kumi took the book from Chimon and the letters from Kazumi. After quickly reading through the letters Kumi took them back inside but came back out with two new ones addressed to Kazumi and Chimon, she put them in her yukata before actually getting outside and went to sit down with her children and friends.

* * *

It was nearly midway through September when Kazumi meet with Madara and Hashirama again when she arrived she got there in time for Madara to skim a stone across the river perfectly making it to the other side. He looked toward her before saying something to Hashirama that caused him to look her way as she waved to them. They both half waved back to her, she noticed how Hashirama was focused on the black haired boy next to him only to get depressed when Madara made a comment about his crappy clothing. Making Kazu laugh a little.

"How're you two doing? it's been a while since I last saw you" Kazu said as she walked up to them and skimmed a stone across the river first try.

"Well enough" Madara responded.

"I'm doing better than I was… say Kazumi was it? Are you a Shinobi?" Hashirama asked because of her throw, standing next to the other boy.

"Um… no? I mean maybe?" the boys gave her a confused look.

"What do you mean maybe?" Hashirama asked.

"Er… well, I was trained to use Chakra and so was my brother but I'm not sure if we're Shinobi because we've never done anything like the jobs that they normally do. Like I know how to walk on water and stick to surfaces as well as a Jutsu my uncle taught me, but I've never been in combat before" Madara looked interested to see the Jutsu she knew and asked her to perform it.

"Sure but step back a bit" Kazumi took a deep breath and built up the Chakra doing the hand signs before blowing a large three metre by three-metre ball of flame faced with a dragon away from them toward a further down bit of the water. The boys looked on in amazement, though Madara especially looked a bit bothered by the Jutsu.

_That was an Uchiha Jutsu and performed almost perfectly which is from what Father told me impossible for anyone outside the Clan to do. _Madara's thoughts raced trying to piece together why she was so good at it especially so young, guessing she was as old as him and what he guessed Hashirama to be.

The trio started meeting up more often after that training and what not together, not too long after the almost everyday meetups started Kazumi introduced Chimon to the other boys who seemed glad to have another person to train with and have competitions with. About a week into their meetups the group of four at that point was on top of that same mountain that Kazu and Chi trained with Jun at. Hashirama mentioned wanting to build his own settlement where he could keep his family safe and Madara was all for the idea of keeping his own brother alive, Kazu wanted to help more so for her dream of peace than for the aspect of keeping Chi safe because she knew she'd do that anyway.

* * *

**AN:**


	6. Chapter 6, Hunting Opportunity

**AN:**

* * *

Kazumi threw a punch at Hashirama's shoulder, he dodged it and countered hitting her in the stomach, she doubled over before going for an attack on his thigh with a heavy kick as her foot connected he wheezed from pain and backed up giving himself room, He watched as she relaxed and ended the spar. She helped him walk over to where Chimon and Madara were sparring.

Madara slammed his fist into Chimon though the impact was subdued by Chi's block, though it sent him back a few feet from the power, Chi retaliated by aiming a kick for Madara's jaw, he jumped away from the attack and stopped going stiff for a second looking behind him to see Kazu and Hashirama. This proved to be his undoing as Chi took advantage of him punching him in the ribs. Hashirama and Kazumi watched with a pained look as they watched Madara drop after the hit, Chimon looked like he could feel that hit immediately going to help him up off the ground.

"That was a cheap shot," Hashirama said as Madara got up.

"There really aren't any such things as cheap shots in battles or so Aunty Shirou says, though I think she refers to her spars with Aunty Kyou," Kazumi said drinking from a water bottle she had.

"Right well we aren't them and we also were sparring I don't think there'd be much forest left if You and your brother went all out with that Jutsu you have. It's hard enough for me to use the wood style at the moment." Hashirama stated watching Madara begin to go off at them for standing behind him during the spar.

"C'mon Madara you really need to get over that thing of yours it might get you killed one-day," Chimon said as he sat on the ground and relaxed.

"Chimon, Hashirama is right though, you did punch him in the ribs from behind. Plus, I imagine Madara will get over it eventually and hopefully that day isn't too far off." Kazumi passed her little brother the water bottle.

Most of their interactions continued like this until one day when Kazumi and Chimon were headed to meet up, Kazumi saw from a distance Hashirama and Madara skim stones across to one another before catching them and looking at the bottom, right after that they both said their farewells from what she could see then they left. Seconds after leaving two people jumped out from either side they were on.

From Madara's side an older man and a younger boy they both resembled him she guessed Father and the brother he once mentioned, and on Hashirama's side, it was the same though the younger boy had white hair. The four attacked one another tied for power.

Kazumi made the decision to chakra enhance herself and sprint up to them, as she got within ranged she started moulding chakra and did the ever so familiar hand signs much faster than normal blowing two enormous dragon flames at the group making them dodge away forcing them to stop and look her way as Madara and Hashirama both came back into view going wide-eyed at the attack. They'd never seen her perform the Jutsu to that extent before, she herself wasn't aware of what might happen doing it since she'd been practising more than ever with it.

The flames at least six or seven meters in width and length separated out from one another and slammed into the water with massive explosions.

"What's going on! Why're you fighting for?" she yelled coming to a stop within yelling distance. Tajima looked to her in confusion seemingly over the Jutsu but Butsuma spoke up.

"You interfere with us girl! Do you have a Deathwish? We're going to kills those Uchiha" the Senju clan head spat raising a kunai towards her.

"_Tch _Girl you have no idea what you're doing interfering with us killing those damn Senju!" Tajima kept his red eyes on Butsuma.

"Wait… Senju and Uchiha… Madara, Hashirama you two are Uchiha and Senju… what? I… don't get it" Kazumi said confused trying to understand the situation.

"It's time to Leave father," Madara said to Tajima who scowled and relented disappearing with Izuna in a flash. Hashirama his father and brother disappeared the opposite direction as well leaving Chimon and Kazumi stood there. They left soon after Kazumi still confused trying to understand the hatred the two men held for one another despite their sons moving past it.

* * *

"Madara, who was that girl? She knew one of our Jutsu and used it far too perfectly can that boy with her do the same?" Tajima said as they travelled back home.

"She's Kazumi, and I've no idea about her using the Jutsu she used it a few times before once showing us that she could do a Jutsu and the other when she and her brother were sparring while Hashirama and I watched, as for her Brother I don't have any clue as to his ability to perform it" Madara said with a solemn face his eyes burning Sharingan red as he thought about the loss of his friends.

_Hm, could she be… no one has had any children outside the clan and on top of that, she looks so ordinary if she were a bastard child she'd still have the black eyes of the clan. _Tajima wanted answers and considered hunting the opportunity for them.

* * *

Butsuma travelled with his sons home wearing a deep scowl at the situation he'd just left. Hashirama seemed off put and even slightly angry but Butsuma couldn't tell what he was angry about, another thing was that Girl who threw around that large Uchiha Jutsu he wanted to know who she was and why she could use chakra like that.

He wondered where she'd gotten the training to do that. _Hm, she could be an asset to anyone she works with maybe it might do us well to seek her out and get her under our clan so we have another edge. Tajima might want to find out about her as well, no I guarantee he wants to understand how she had that Jutsu from his clan. Hashirama mentioned her name was 'Kazumi' when I talked to him about spying on the Uchiha boy. This settles it then I will recruit this girl into the clan._

* * *

Kazumi and Chimon arrived home earning a raised eyebrow from their mother had only seen them off fifteen minutes earlier, she watched as Chimon said his hellos to her and as Kazumi looked somewhat defeated and her face was scrunched up. Kumi's expression softened gathering that something had happened to the friends they had been seeing for the last ten months. She decided that she would make their favourite food for lunch and dinner, she'd also want to confront them about what exactly happened to their friends.

There was a thought that crossed her mind, it almost felt random… no one had tried to Kidnap Kazumi in the longest time and she couldn't imagine they scared them off in that first retaliation back when she was four. Kumi was a little worried about it.

_Hm, thinking about this kidnapping stuff is gonna make me paranoid, Kojiro said it would happen but there would be very few attempts and if we were lucky none, I guess it is really hard for them to find the proof to make the kidnapping worth it. There's no way for them to confirm it unless it had been closer to Kojiro's death and they had known about us._

Waving the thought aside she moved to make lunch for them when she had a few minutes she jotted down some ingredients and foodstuffs for groceries, she watched over the counter in the kitchen into the living room where Chimon was sitting at the table idly watching the garden outside the screen door. He perked up looking to her when he smelt the food she'd cooked, without so much as a nod he left the room going through the house and finding Kazumi bringing her out for lunch. They ate in silence aside from Kazu and Chi asking for more food when they had finished. Before they could escape her grasp Kumi made sure they stayed around afterwards so she could talk to them. Sitting down after rinsing dishes Kumi looked to her children with a smile.

"Right, you two I've been your mother for how many years now? I know that something is wrong you're normally out with your friends for a few hours, you also came back solemn and down. I love you two, you mean the world to me and so I will always know when something is off, so let ask this once what happened Kazumi, Chimon?" She watched them for a few minutes squirming a little. Chimon seemed to distance himself not really willing to speak. Kazumi squirmed for a bit longer before breaking.

She explained everything to her mother leaving out no detail, Kumi was concerned for good reason about both the Uchiha and Senju heads being there. She was surprised to hear about Kazumi's performance with the dragon flame Jutsu.

"Well, that… hm, by the sounds of it you may not see your friends again, the Uchiha and Senju hate one another they'll be fighting a war against one another for years to come I doubt they'll stop. But, you say that your friends were really close so maybe they can find a way to fix the difference between the clans." Kumi gave a short shrug when she finished.

"B-but! I'm sure Hashirama and Madara won't hate each other after this! They'd never let something like this come between them!" Kazumi tried to assure her mother.

"Maybe not, but Honey that won't stop their clans from forming the wall and trying to burn the bridge they've built as friends. This world is a place of Hate and Love, love breeds hatred, so I hate to say this maybe they'll end up hating each other on their own. That's the worst-case scenario though so hopefully, they can stay friends amongst this." Kumi brought her children into a hug after speaking and said that they'll see their friends again it was just a matter of time.

The day went on without much discorse and faded to night, days passed, and it looked like Kazumi and Chimon wouldn't see their friends again. Kumi started going out with them to their usual spot and training with them or rather watching them and giving what pointers she could. As the month dragged on Kumi slowly moved their training back to the large backyard they had because of a nagging feeling that someone or maybe multiple people were watching them, the feeling didn't stop when they were at home, but she felt more at ease about it knowing that any one of her friends could arrive unannounced and save them if something happened.

And that something did happen, about three months after the incident while Kumi was home alone because Kazu and Chi had gone to train with Shirou, a man appeared in her backyard in front of her while she was turning away from tending to the flowers. He was slightly taller than her, had black hair folded over one of his eyes, pale skin and wore a high neck shirt with sandals and bandages going up his legs. He wore rather deep stress marks on his face.

"You're Kumi Shimizu, correct?" he stated flatly without warning making the woman jump in her skin falling backwards onto the grass.

"U-uh… what?" she fumbled out as she stood back up shaken.

"You are the woman Kumi Shimizu, the mother of two children and widow of two husbands," he stated not skipping a beat.

"Yes, my name is Kumi, who are you and why are you here?" She looked at him annoyed at his behaviour.

"My name is Tajima, and I'm here because of your daughter Kazumi." Kumi stared at him as if remembering something.

"Well, Uchiha I've no Idea what you want with my daughter but please leave." She said turning away from him.

"Uchiha? What gives you the impression I'm one I said my name was Tajima" he said seeing her freeze in her tracks.

"Oh! You didn't? How silly of me, I don't really know what made me think that..." she sounded very unconvincing even to herself.

Before Tajima could say anything more yelling came from inside the house, it was Shirou's voice followed by Kazumi and Chimon's telling her to be quiet. They stopped in their tracks as the three of them walked out into the yard, Shirou almost instantly appearing between Kumi and Tajima giving the man a scowl. Kazumi and Chimon stayed looking to the familiar man as he watched the scene play out before him. Shirou held a kunai out at the man threatening to cut him down if he moved an inch.

"Well, this is eventful, I'd hoped this to have gone a little better. I ask again Shimizu; how did you know I was an Uchiha?" before Kumi responded Shirou cut her off.

"What fucking right do you have to be here you piece of shit! And demanding stuff at that, you should fucking leave before I slit your pale ass throat open and string you out to dry like the scum you are!" She pressed the knife closer to him, as it got within millimetres of touching skin his eye flashed red with the three black tomoe rotating into position.

Shirou swore as she grabbed Kumi and jumping away from him and shouting "don't look into his eyes!"

Kumi kept hers locked to the ground watching his feet and watching them as he moved towards Kazu and Chi where she saw Kazumi had collapsed, Tajima picked her up under his arm and dodged as Kumi's chakra enhanced foot crashed down on the grass making a crater and kicking up dirt and grass, Shirou followed up by launching a handful of kunai and shuriken at him all enhanced by wind, narrowly dodging the shuriken two kunai pierced him the first going right through his left arm leaving only right arm holding Kazumi and the second going right through the shoulder of the left arm rendering it useless. Blood spurted everywhere showering the foliage as he got chased off by Shirou.

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**AN:**


	7. Chapter 7, Dreams of Chakra blue

**AN:**

* * *

A person broke out into the yard as Shirou set off, the person was wearing a black Shozoku with a blank grey ballistics mask, they looked around for a second taking note of what was happening then shot off after Shirou and Tajima. The unknown shinobi caught up to Shirou who was falling behind from exhaustion from her training with the kids earlier when they reached her she nodded before coming to a stop and heading back towards the house. The masked person caught a glimpse at Tajima's scowling face highlighted by his Sharingan, his bleeding arm made it easy to keep track of where he was.

The masked shinobi was closing in on Tajima, she reached out to yank the man back toward her, so she could grab the unconscious Kazumi in his right arm. But she missed, Tajima stumbled forward out of her grasp being darting to the side and suddenly gaining a lot of speed on her, he started getting out of sight before disappearing entirely from view leaving the masked woman confused. She looked around briefly before continuing in the direction he was headed in, she continued for ten more minutes before deciding to comb the area she was in to see if he had hidden somewhere to quickly bandage up his cut. She followed the blood trail but that didn't seem to be going anywhere.

After looking around she noticed something was off with her sight, taking her mask off letting down her silver hair, Kyou's black eyes blinked in rapid succession as she tried to adjust her sight. Raising her left hand to form a hand seal she pulsed chakra saying "release!", Kyou looked around for another ten minutes before coming to a stop back on the original path she'd been following the Uchiha on.

"_**FUCK!**_" Kyousuke stomped her chakra enhanced foot into the earth uplifting the ground around her before she looked toward the direction Kumi's house was, putting her mask back on she headed back.

When she arrived back at the house the moment Kyou saw Kumi and she could see how close her old friend was to breaking down, but Kyou knew how strong her friend was she wouldn't break yet she would hold out. Kyousuke took her mask off as she walked up to Shirou and Kumi, Shirou gave her a short sombre nod as she talked with Kumi about what had led to the situation in the first place, Kyou listened in so she could understand what had happened having only showed up moments before she started in the chase as she'd come over to catch up with Kumi and Shirou knowing that they'd both be there today. Kyou was happy she'd decided to come straight to Kumi's in her work gear instead of going home to change.

It looked like Chimon was inside at the table, though not alone Inoue was in there with him, Kyou assumed they must have called him over to watch him while they sorted things out.

Kyou ran a hand through her hair as she explained what happened with her, Shirou listened in frowning at how Kyou got caught up in a Sharingan Genjutsu. Kumi was holding out, she looked like she might collapse for a bit having long since come down from an adrenaline high.

"This is so… " Shirou started.

"Fucked?" Kyousuke filled in.

"I want you two to find out where the Uchiha are held up or maybe where the Senju are, I want to get Kazumi back no matter the cost" Kumi stated darkly.

"Hold your horses, Kumi, we can't just help fuel that war between the two the best thing we can do is go to the Uchiha's and either take her back or try to get a conversation going with Tajima so that we might understand why he wants her. It's not like Kazumi is an Uchiha right, Kumi? Kumi..." Kyou and Shirou watched as their friend fidgeted.

"No… she isn't at least not in appearance..." Kumi looked down at the ground.

"Whaddya mean 'At least not in appearance'?" Shirou asked.

"Kojiro Uchiha was her father, she may have taken after me and that's the best miracle in my entire life, but she is still half Uchiha, so she can unlock a Sharingan as far as I'm aware but. Kojiro said sometime after we knew I was pregnant that eventually the clan find her somehow and try to take her or people would kidnap her for being an Uchiha, though that happened when she was four or so and not since." Kumi said sullenly.

"Wait! Fucking what? Kojiro was one of them?! What the fuck happened to him then? He's so unbelievably different from the rest of that pale angry lot!" Shirou basically yelled at the woman.

"Shirou, not the time, we need to think about ways to get Kazumi back," Kyousuke said shutting her friend down.

"It's fine Kyou, I don't mind sharing what Kojiro told me and what I saw. To begin with he said he'd always been more outgoing and friendlier than the rest of his clan and that they often told him he was weird for it, I think a few people in the clan hated him, he left the clan basically faking his death with the help of his sister but later she would come for him. When she came for him she was damn near blind from overusing some special Sharingan power and tried killing me to spark a fight with him and so that's what she got but after he cut down his sister she was all of a sudden alive and jabbed her fingers into Kojiro's eye socket and yanked his out, they both had this weird pattern that wasn't the normal one and she transplanted his eyes to herself right there as his corpse hit the floor before she ran off leaving me to his corpse. I've no idea if she's alive or what but I don't hate her for it I got over that a long time ago, hate only breeds more hate and then revenge, knowing that and the fact that she was so much stronger than me it wasn't funny I just left it at that."

"That Clan has so many screws lose its fucking insane, to think that his sister of all people the person who helped him away from that killed him for his _fucking eyes_!" Shirou was furious at the clan. Rightfully so.

"I agree with the sentiment Shirou," Kyou said with a concerned look as she thought about what had been said.

"I guess my anger got the better of me earlier but looking on this now this is not the time for such things, I know where the Uchiha clan are located or at least where they were back in the early days of me and Kojiro's relationship" Kumi no longer looked like she might break to Kyou but more like she'd found a fire to rekindle her flame for the time being.

* * *

Eyelids heavily opening at a snail's pace Kazumi slowly awoke and took in her surroundings, she was in a dark room in a futon, from what she could make out the room was like the ones at home. It took her a few seconds, but she forced herself upright and threw herself out the sliding door onto a wooden porch.

"Mum!" She shouted as she fell onto the wood her body catching up to her.

_This doesn't look like our backyard _she thought sleepily trying to pull her face and body up, so she was sitting before she could she noticed a figure rushing toward her going in to pick her up. She knew this person.

"Madara..." slipped out of her mouth before she went unconscious.

The boy in question was concerned trying to figure out what to do with his former friend? who his father had brought home unconscious under his arm with his other spewing blood and unusable. He had asked his father what had happened and why he had her but all he'd told him was "she's an Uchiha" making even less sense to Madara. It had been three months since seeing his friends and when he finally got to see one of them again his father had kidnapped her. He brought his unconscious friend into back into the room she had thrown herself out of, laying her down in the futon and pulling the sheet over her he left to go make food so that the next time she woke up she'd have food. He passed Izuna who was in the living room with their father asking about something he didn't catch. Getting out some simple ingredients for the meal he was making Kazumi, Madara grabbed rice, miso and some chicken then got to work, he made enough for himself as well, so he could have a chance to talk everything out with her and understand what happened from her standpoint.

Half an hour later he went back to the room Kazumi was in with the food that was cooked up and he roused her from her sleep, getting a groggy "gimme five more minutes" to which he rolled his eyes at and woke her up, when she finally came to and understood what was going on she grabbed a hold of Madara giving him a hug with all her strength making him wheeze.

"Madara! You're here! Why are you here? Where am I?" she started listing off questions at him.

"Whoa! Whoa, calm down, I'm here because this is my house where in the Uchiha clans settlement I guess you could call it, now that I've told you that I have some food for you I thought you might be hungry so I made you some, but after that I need to ask you some questions" he handed her the food that he had put near the door.

Kazumi took the food graciously accepting then digging in, the two sat in silence for ten or so minutes while they ate, when they finished Madara took the dishes away and cleaned them up before coming back and sitting down at a table in the room before asking Kazumi the questions.

"So, Kazumi I want to ask you what happened before you woke up here? Or more specifically what happened to cause my father to take you? He thinks you're an Uchiha for some reason." He spoke simply and waited for her to answer on her own time.

"I-I was training with Chimon and our Aunty Shirou, we had just returned home and stepped out on the porch in our backyard when Shirou disappeared and reappeared next Mum with a kunai at your dad who was demanding something from Mum, after a few words from Shirou that I won't repeat your dad did something and then I watched Mum get thrown against the ground and your dad disappeared. It's about at that point that I woke up in this room." She stopped for a second after to think about if she missed anything before nodding to herself as conformation.

Madara let an awkward silence drag out as he took in the information and decided on what to do from here on out, his first thought was help her escape but that ended in some unfavourable outcomes if it went sour or if it succeeded. After a little longer of silence while he thought he finally gave his thoughts on how they should progress.

"So I've decided it'll be best if we just go along with whatever it is my father wants from you and hopefully we'll find a solution as we go, that's all we really have at the moment, I'll try to help you as much as I can" Madara was pretty resigned and didn't like the idea but at the moment it was all they could do.

"Oh! Wait there was something I remembered about what happened, your Dad had red eyes these three little black dots in them" she said hoping that it would give him a clue about what happened.

"The Sharingan…what like this?" he said activating his two tomoe.

"Yes, like that, but what did it do?" She asked tilting her head.

"He cast a Genjutsu on you to knock you out." He stated with a contemplative look. '_If what she saw wasn't entirely true then we don't even know what happened to her Mother and brother, Dad came back with his arm basically unusable and shredded, so someone definitely chased him down, but he managed to get away with a serious injury. It's been two days since he got back with Kazumi so if her mother were going to do something I might imagine it would happen within the next few days I doubt she'd wait any longer.'_

The day continued onward and Madara went out to train leaving Kazumi to herself as his father had said that she would be confined to the room until he wanted to bring her out for a 'test' Madara went along with it and Kazumi just spent time doing chakra exercises that Jun had showed her when she was younger, Madara often made food for her and helped her like he had said he would, it continued like this for three days before Tajima finally called for her to meet with him in a room she assumed to be some kind of study. Izuna came to collect her.

Sitting down opposite the man that had kidnapped her, Kazumi adjusted her clothing, Madara had gone and found some clothing for her to wear on the second day, it was a simple navy kimono with a large red and white fan on the of it, she wasn't particularly bothered by it but it did make the whole kidnapping a little less like one and more like the Uchiha's were staking a claim on her than she'd have liked. She looked to the older man who's left sleeve of his Yukata was limp and without anything in it, it looked as though his arm wasn't there from just below the shoulder down. His stern look watched her as she inspected his missing arm.

"Do you intend to stare at my armless side this entire conversation?" he asked with a seriousness that took her off guard a little having not really talked to the man since that time she interrupted his attempt on Hashirama's life.

"I-I.. Uh No." she fumbled out.

"I would have like to have had a normal conversation, but the situation forced my hand and here we are. Firstly, I'll start with a simple question, are you an Uchiha?" he waited for her response and watched her confused reaction.

"No, why would you think that? I'd only ever heard rumours of the Uchiha up until the day that I interrupted that attempt a couple months ago." She answered without pause.

"You say this yet you know and perform an Uchiha fire Jutsu perfectly and even managed to perform it a level above someone like yourself shouldn't be able to. On top of this your mother knew who I was without question and seemed fully aware of the Sharingan, but the real question I'd like to know is who your father was and if you have the Sharingan yourself." After posing the question he didn't wait even a second for her to answer and activated his Sharingan and began going through her memories.

Kazumi fell forwards onto the table in front of her with sharp breaths held her hands to her head as memories resurface for herself as well.

"Kojiro? That sounds vaguely familiar… Right I remember he was Kasumi's brother that died." He watched as the blonde girl slowly recovered in front of him and as soon as she looked up to him again he made her unconscious with the Sharingan, calling for Izuna to take her back to the room.

* * *

_Kazumi watched paralysed in fear as a man broke into the front door of their house and burnt Chimon alive his scorched bubbling and blackening skin flaking as he hit the floor, words fell out of his mouth as he lifelessly laid on the ground and his eyes dimmed in colour._

"_Kazumi run…" were his last words to her._

_Still, in shock she watched as her mother burst into the room slamming a foot straight into the man and yelling the same thing Chimon had at her, Kazumi watched as her mother had a hand run right through her stomach out the other side, blood and gore covering the ground and herself. Kazumi falt her eyes sting slightly as chakra rushed into them and felt the weakest she'd ever had. The man walked up to her collapsed body and picked her up by the throat before punching a hole right through her chest, she clawed at his arm gasping for air as her vision faded and she heard the man laugh saying something about how pitiful she was to be so frozen by fear when she watched her Mother and Brother die in front of her. She wished she had the strength to save them._

She woke up screaming.

"_MUM! CHIMON!_" Her voiced cracked and choked on itself as she flung herself up soaked in sweat, she looked around the room and noticed a pain in her eyes raising her hands to them she felt nothing new but as she concentrated everything seemed off she couldn't see herself but rather an outline of her own body with a blue substance floating around her. After a few minutes of calming herself over the nightmare, the pain in her eyes faded and so did her weird change in vision.

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**AN:**


	8. Chapter 8, Dreams of Sharingan Red too

**AN:**

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Kazumi's hands balled into fists with the sheet that covered her, she was sat up in her futon and watched as the sunlight crept its way through the cracks of the screen door. Taking slow methodical deep breaths, she calmed herself from the nightmare that had done something to her resolve she'd never really had, it had been reaffirmed that she would become as powerful as she possibly could, so she could forever protect her family and friends. Earlier when her vision changed and there was a pain in her eyes that's when she felt the emotion the most, it was such a heavy rush of emotion that she felt like she might have collapsed, her limbs felt heavy and also like she was chakra drained. Kazumi sat around for a while before she found the motivation to leave her futon still slightly shaken from the nightmare and the fact that she has the thought nibbling in the back of her mind that Tajima had put her under a Genjutsu for that dream. It was an unsettling thought that he could just do that to her at any point.

Rising from the sheets and readying them for being cleaned up and dried out in the sun, she collected one of the Yukata's from the five of them she was given alongside five Kimono's, they ranged from greys, navy blues to black. She got one of the grey Yukata's, after getting changed she went out onto the porch and watched the birds fluttered around the garden. Izuna walked along the porch on the other side of the house from where she was, it was probably the first time she realised that the back of the house was a U shape, she watched as the younger boy walked along to his brothers room and woke him up before heading toward her when he saw her sitting watching the small pond in the garden, noticing her he turned and went toward the kitchen where a woman that, Madara resembled more than Izuna did, was making food. Kazumi felt like she hadn't seen the woman at all since arriving, though she remembered she had been confined to the room since she had gotten here. The woman looked out the window of the kitchen she was into where Kazumi was sitting, she got a confused look on her face turning to Izuna who said something to her before the woman's expression changed and she went to do something that Kazumi couldn't see. After a few seconds went by the woman Kazumi assumed to be their mother returned and said something to Izuna who got up from his spot and came around the house to her.

"Mother wants to meet you." He stated flatly waiting for her to stand and follow him around, she stood and walked around to the kitchen with him and she got a better look at the woman that was her friends' mother. She was a head or so taller then Kazumi, she had waist length thick spiky black hair, cat-like black eyes, light skin and a slim figure. She wore a simple Navy Kimono. She waved her over with a smile.

"Hello dear, I'm Amaterasu. What's your name?" the older woman turned to Kazumi focusing her attention on her whilst she cooked food.

"My name is Kazumi Shimizu, I'm a friend of Madara's," Kazumi said politely bowing to the woman in front of her.

"That's wonderful I had always hoped he'd find a nice girl to befriend, he has so few people in the clan he would call a friend." Amaterasu turned to the food she was making and motioned for Kazumi to sit at the table that Izuna was at.

After sitting down she patiently sat waiting for the food idly looking around the room, Madara walked into the room not after too long and wore a brief surprised look before connecting the dots that his mother had seen Kazumi, he and Izuna held a small back and forth that Kazumi occasionally chipped in when they were discussing techniques for fighting. Later that morning when Amaterasu had gotten the three kids to clean up around the house for her she asked them if they wanted to head to one of the training grounds to an unsurprising yes from all of them she took them there for the rest of that day. The grounds were essentially an enormous opening in a forested area with posts and targets that had markers set up on them from practice. Izuna immediately asked to spar Kazumi who accepted, and they stood 15 paces from one another.

After a brief moment for them to prepare mentally Madara acted as their witness/overseer and drove his hand down through the air signalling the start of the match.

Izuna pushed forward in a head on assault of Kazumi who in turn charged at him but the moment he went to throw a punch at her she dodged to the side and she was about to attack given the opening but a lapse in her judgement threw her off and she backed off instead letting him recover and go for her again.

_Uh shit, what do I do? Should I hit him, and potentially knock him out in front of their mother pissing off Tajima who might just kill me or put me in another Genjutsu or do I just dodge and do softer held back hits? Shit, damn! Why does it have to be such a difficult task._

Coming to terms with her inner turmoil as Izuna tried to kick her feet out from under her she jumped over his kick and with all her normal strength ploughed her foot right into his face letting blood spurt from his nose and a little from his mouth, as his body hit the ground she on instinct held up her hands and said "I didn't do anything!" before realizing what she did and looked around to Madara who was shaking his head at what she said then to Amaterasu who had an arched eyebrow directed at her before she huffed a little laugh at the impulsive response and waited for her to do check on Izuna. Doing just that Kazumi walked over to him as he lay on his back with blood on his face wiping it off, she helped him up and he grunted something at her calling the match there. Amaterasu cleaned him up having brought stuff expecting some blood to spill.

_If I hadn't been kidnapped then this whole 'spending time with Madara and his family' thing might be really nice, but the kidnapping thing is really ruining it and __making this scarier than it has to be._

* * *

Kumi, Shirou and Kyousuke all stood outside the main entrance to a large Japanese style castle wall that displayed red and white fans on them. Shirou made some comment about how she was surprised the Senju hadn't found them yet with such a massive emblem displaying who owned the place. The three waited for five or so minutes before two men wearing the same black high collar shirt with almost identical features of messy black hair and cat-like black eyes appeared and asked why they were there.

"I'm here to speak with Tajima, if you tell him Shimizu is here he should know," Kumi stated simply, the two men shared a look before one of them left presumably to tell Tajima and the other stayed to guard the entrance.

Another few minutes passed, and the other man returned and said that they could enter as well as that he was to guide them straight to the clan heads house. Walking through the Uchiha compound? Settlement? There were many people of the clan with a similar hair cut and mostly similar features, Shirou said it was earie and weird that they all look so alike. Kyou jokingly mentioned under her breath 'inbreeding?' the man they followed stiffened leading them to stop talking altogether or at least for a few minutes as they walked and Kumi started a conversation with the two pulling away from the uncomfortable topic they brought up. She started talking about the weather of all things making them all mentally groan even Kumi herself who was really just trying to salvage the situation while they went to meet with a man she might attempt to attack/kill on site.

The building they stopped at was a large traditional Japanese house that Kumi realised was double her own house size, and she had herself well off from all the savings from being a merchant, but this house put how much hers cost to shame just by looking at it. Kyou and Shirou were less in awe and more annoyed that the building itself was a twenty-five-minute walk from the gate to it. Another few minutes wait later, and Tajima came to meet them bringing them into the house alongside the guide/guard, the group sat down at a table that had a view outside into the garden, they all noticed the Uchiha's lack of left arm getting a slight smirk from Shirou admiring the damage she caused. When they were all settled in and Tajima had his guard stand behind him while Kyou and Shirou sat behind Kumi slightly.

"I see you still know where the clan grounds are then, I guess you and Kojiro really were partners then." Tajima gauged her reaction, she sat silently with a passive expression before speaking.

"Yes it would seem I do, now we both know why I'm here so let's get this over with. I want my Daughter back _now._" Kumi was still completely pissed off despite having the several days travel to calm herself it didn't do much to her protective streak.

"I'm sure if she were here I would give her back after all she served her usefulness b-" the three women tensed up Kyou and Shirou looked like they were ready to kill Tajima but he stopped and waited a moment before continuing "But, I've no idea where she is as my wife found her and took her out with my sons."

"I guess we'll just have to wait for them to return then, won't we. In the meantime, Tajima I have something to ask you why is it you wanted my Daughter so badly?" Kumi asked.

"Because she is an anomaly for myself, she could perfectly perform a clan Jutsu to a degree that no one outside the clan can and on top of that when I came to your home you already knew who I was and that got me thinking and so I decided when you wouldn't give me the answers it would be easier to get them myself and I got to find out about your Husband and hearing his name reminded me of his dear sister that disappeared a bit over a decade ago, what was her name? Kasumi? Why does that sound familiar? Maybe its that you named your Daughter after her despite the fact that she was the one to kill Kojiro." Tajima watched as Kumi's face scrunched up at the information he shouldn't have that she knew he couldn't have possibly gotten out of Kazumi by normal means.

"Why do you care about Kazumi being named after Kasumi? You have nothing to gain from it. Tajima, I think you need to go back to worrying about that arm of yours or rather lack thereof, I feel that's still a more pressing matter than my family's situation." Shirou was still admiring her work from behind Kumi.

"Moving on, do you know if your Daughter has her Sharingan yet? Because if she does I feel that she would be better off in the clan's position instead of yours, after all, you can't teach her about it" he watched as Kumi's annoyance slowly showed on her face more and more.

"As far as I know, she does not. Even if she did I won't be letting her anywhere near your vile wretched clan ever again, you people disgust me. Now if we're finished I'm going to take my companions out into that garden and wait until my Daughter returns." After finishing she did just that as they walked out of the room Shirou mouthed 'Up yours Uchiha'.

They heard Tajima's wife and children with Kazumi before they saw them, Madara and Izuna walked in after Amaterasu who saw them and gave them a wave with a smile. Kazumi was a little bit behind Madara and Izuna who went to the kitchen immediately to get something to drink. When Kazumi trailed in she didn't notice the three women that Amaterasu who was now going over to talk to.

"You must be Kazumi's Mother, your daughter's been wonderful, and it was amazing to watch her train with my boys. I'm so glad Madara managed to find such a nice girl to be his friend. Anyway, my name is Amaterasu Uchiha, it's a pleasure to meet you." She held her hand out to Kumi to shake which she did.

"Thank you, I'm glad my daughter has been such a delight, my name is Kumi, it's nice to meet you as well Amaterasu. On the note of your son, I'm also glad that Kazumi found a nice boy like him after all she wouldn't stop discussing him and their other friend for the longest time when she had a chance." The Uchiha matron also extended her hand to Kyou and Shirou who quickly introduced themselves.

"I'd love it if you would stay for the afternoon, so we might get to know one another better." The raven-haired woman said as she stood before the group.

"Sorry but sadly I used up the time I might have for staying here on waiting for Kazumi, so I could come to bring her home. Maybe next time we can catch up." Kumi deflected just trying to leave was her current priority, she understood that Amaterasu had nothing to do with what her husband did and so had nothing against the woman, but she really did just want to leave the Uchihas' at this point.

"Oh well, yes maybe next time. I look forward to that, maybe I can come to visit you with the boys even we'll have to set it up sometime." Amaterasu smiled.

When Kazumi finally came over she tackled Kumi in a hug, out of Amaterasu's view she looked the most grateful she'd ever been to see her mother and aunts. The interaction lasted a few minutes before Kumi finally decided to pick up her much too big for being carried daughter and said her farewells to the Matron and to her children then left the Settlement? Compound? Kyousuke and Shirou followed closely behind the Kumi still wary of what might happen, both not trusting the clan at all from previous experience. They made it home a day later without incident leaving Kumi still feeling sour about the whole ordeal. Chimon was happy to have his sister back and to not be living with Jun and Himeno with their child, Kazumi didn't leave the presence of Chi or Kumi for the first few days back, often opting to just be with them even if they weren't really doing anything.

* * *

Kazumi woke from a dream she couldn't remember drenched in sweat and with pulsating eyes that allowed her to see the same weird blue flow around her in a weird red lens on reality, she was spooked this was the fifth time it had happened and each time this same scene played out giving her déjà vu. She was getting better with these weird eye things that kept happening and it got easier to have it 'on' not making her feel as drained as it had originally, Kazumi felt like there was something she was missing. The weird eye affect confused her she could only ever use it in these times when she'd woken up with it blaring and not at other times like when she was alone and wanted to try mess with it, but it wouldn't activate for whatever reason.

rising from her bed after awhile she went and cleaned up before replacing her sweat drenched sheets and bedding. After she headed to the living room where she saw Chimon slouched over reading one of the letters that her and he had gotten from their fathers, their mother had given them to her and Chi what felt like forever ago, the letters were short and did look like they were at least as old as they themselves were. Kazumi always teared up reading hers, there was something about reading this letter from a man she didn't now that expressed an immeasurable amount of love and care in the letter that made her get emotional. Now that she thought about it whenever she read it she felt that same sting from the red world thing in her eyes every time after reading the letter.

Kazumi sat down next to her little brother and ruffled his white hair as she watched their mother move with a grace in the kitchen as she cooked breakfast. Pulling her long blonde hair around to her front and started brushing it before tying it into a high ponytail. She adjusted her Kimono that she had put on as she stood to go get her poetry and writing equipment from her room, returning with her book, brush and ink she sat down across from Chimon who had since put his letter away and just begun watching her write. She often started new pieces and abandon them leaving many unfinished poems on pages, Kazumi also had made a bit of a habit out of reading her favourite piece she had found called _Spider's Thread_ it was about the Buddha offering a way out of hell to a man that had done one good thing in his life that the Buddha saw as worthy to be saved by only in the act of being saved he reverted to his selfish self, ruining his chance to leave hell and damning himself yet again.

Kumi called breakfast, Chi and Kazumi cleared the table as Kumi laid it down for them.

Later on, Kazumi was out in the yard, Kumi had left to get groceries leaving Kyousuke to watch them, Chimon was playing around with his water transformation, she was trying to activate the red world lens thing she kept experiencing. Flooding her eyes with chakra she opened them to a world of drenched in a red light and bodies of a black silhouette with blue running throughout them, she could see Chimon as a blob of blue on the other side of the yard. She balled her hand into a fist and jumped shouting "Finally I did it!" getting the attention of Kyousuke who had been painting something on the porch when the older woman looked over to Kazumi her eyes widened in shock causing her to drop the brush in her hand.

Kazumi looked over to Kyou confused only for Chimon to undo his transformation and say something "Uh, Sis your eyes are red." Walking closer to his sister he started looking at the eyes she had, the normal green having all but left in exchange for bright red with a black pupil and a two tomoe design in each, he said as much to her.

"Does it feel weird? Is it messing with your vision?" Chimon asked his ecstatic sister.

"U-Uh yeah it sorta has a weird feeling like its constantly using chakra and it makes my vision in a weird red filter on everything except people they have this black silhouette with blue stuff flowing around them like before when you were transformed you looked like a puddle of the blue stuff," Kazumi answered looking at the world around her.

"Hm… maybe it's chakra? Watch me perform a small water Jutsu and if you see it travel around my body to where it releases from then we'll know." The white-haired boy built up chakra in his stomach doing the hand seals letting the chakra flow to his fingertips where he put his fingers like a gun and shot out a blob of water that slammed into a tree spraying water around it and shredding off the bark where it impacted.

Kyou picked up the brush setting it on the easel she had been working with and walked over to the children before speaking.

"How long have you been able to do this with your eyes Kazumi?" Kyou said pushing her silver hair out of her face.

"Probably sometime just after when I got taken to the Uchihas' but I could never activate it on my own until now" she wore a bright smile proud of her achievement.

"Oh… That's interesting, but do you know what that is? Have you looked into a mirror with it?" Kyousuke watched her red eyes scrunch up with her face as she thought.

"No never, Why?"

"Uh well as your brother said they're now red... and uh..." the older woman trailed off.

After some time went by Kazumi noticed she was starting to predict movements of her brother and aunt so she challenged them to a spar.

* * *

**AN: Hey how's it going? Kinda cool that this has been going on for eight odd weeks with consistent chapters, the reason I bring that up is I've basically caught up to my backlog as I typed up eight and a half chapters before I posted that first, right now I have nine ready but ten is still being written so any way to the point of this AN. There's probably going to be a month-long maybe few months long break period so that I can get more backlogged and post it like that preferably I'd like to ready up 5 to 8 chapters but who knows.**


	9. Chapter 9, Speaking from the Heart

**AN:**

* * *

Kumi came home to a site that she'd never really expected to, Kyousuke one of her best friends that she'd had for over two decades was sparring with Kazumi who was somehow managing to keep up with the older woman's movements that Kumi couldn't see what so ever due to their speed. She was confused as to how her daughter was keeping up with the Silver-haired woman seeing as she hadn't ever been able to before, she noticed something in between all the kicks and punches Kazumi's eyes were glowing red. '_OH oh, that explains far too much about it then, she must be copying Kyousuke's moves to predict what she'll do next.'_ After the thought passed she did a double take realizing the elephant in the room she just ignored and realized what Kazumi had obtained.

_The Sharingan?! When did she unlock it?! I need to talk to her about this as soon as I can and make sure the Uchiha's don't out about this._

"Kyousuke I left you to watch my children not fight them the moment I'm gone." Kumi watched as three heads turned her way and the spar came to a stop, Kyou looked to her with concerned eyes flickering to Kuzumi. The kids went over and gave her a hug, Kazumi's eyes still blazing red.

Kumi responded in kind to her children ignoring the Sharingan for the time being, Kyou walked over and went inside while the kids took their time. When they stopped hugging her she ruffled their hair and was about to say something when Kazumi cut her off.

"Mum! Look! Look! I did this thing to my eyes! It makes sparring with Aunty super easy it's like I can predict her movements!" Kazumi looked really happy and her smile warmed Kumi's heart but the eyes she bore also made her heart wrench with painful and happy memories ones of her time watching Kojiro train and ones of Kasumi plunging a blade deep into Kojiro with both of their red eyes flaring while Kojiro's sister wretched the Wazikashi out of him and slashed again embedding it in him again. Taking a moment to Steele her emotions Kumi answered her daughter.

"Wow! That's amazing Kazu! If you want I can tell you about your eyes and some stuff about your father" Kumi watched Kazumi get excited to hear more about the eyes she has and her late father.

"Kazu… how about you try to turn the Sharingan off and then let's go inside and I can tell you about this stuff." Kumi turned to head inside with Chimon ahead of her, Kazu stopped brow narrowing as she ran the word her mother had said through her head, it sounded so familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it. _Sharingan?_

Roughly half an hour later Kumi and Kazumi sat in one of the spare rooms in the house that had one of its screen doors open out into the garden, the room was bathed in the warm sunlight and shaded by a cherry blossom tree that rested just outside of it, the blossoms blew in the breeze some flowing down onto the floor of the room. Kumi sat across from her now 15-year-old daughter that she looked at saw a mirror of herself at that age though the smile was more like her first husbands, Kazumi smiled away as she drank the green tea Kumi had made for them, still steaming as she lifted it to her mouth. Kumi waited until both of them had finished their cup before talking.

"So Kazu, have you ever heard of the Sharingan? Maybe from Shirou, Kyousuke or Jun? Because the Sharingan is the 'eye thing' as you called it, from what your Dad told me allows you to copy peoples movement almost perfectly and you can also 'predict' peoples attacks by copying their style with the Sharingan it means you can keep up with most people so long as you're as fast and strong as them." As she talked Kumi refiled their cups setting the jug down afterwards.

"Uhh yeah, I have heard the Sharingan but, I'm not sure where… Oh! I know Madara told me about it when I was at the Uchihas' he showed me his and his Dad used his on me, Madara said that he was using it to knock me out but he did it once and it didn't knock me unconscious it made a bunch of old memories reappear like the one when you told us about dad." She twiddled her thumbs as she talked before taking a sip from her refiled cup.

"Right, I'm unaware about the thing he did to read your memories like that but, I do know that as for power your Sharingan can get stronger because there are three stages of its power, in each stage either eye gains a tomoe to the pattern starting with one and ending with three at full power. Though there might be another I have seen a weird version that has differing patterns, I have no idea what they do but maybe you can unlock it someday." Kumi took a deep breath and exhaled letting the aroma of the tea rest in her nostrils before continuing.

"Right so I promised to tell you more about your Dad, firstly let's start with your name, you were named after Kasumi, Dads sister who a very long time ago helped him escape his family/clan that being the Uchihas. He often said when talking about them that for all the love that the clan possessed it was filled with hate and resentment, often making himself feel uncomfortable and like he didn't belong. Kojiro acted goofy, loved with an open heart and enjoyed people's company and making them feel happy. So, eventually he felt drowned in all the hate his clan wore instead of all the love he wished they'd show and with his parents dead with only his older sister Kasumi alive he asked her to help him fake his death so he could leave the clan, and they did nobody ever even considered the possibility that he might be alive but, years later about three to four months into my pregnancy with you Kasumi showed up half blind barely able to keep herself from walking into things. She tried to kill me, it was so that she could fight her brother and take his eyes. They both had that potential next level of Sharingan I talked about earlier." Kumi stopped for a moment to sip from her cup feeling parched with a dry throat from talking.

"In the end, Kasumi killed Kojiro, though I think she hated herself for doing it if the tears streaming down either of their faces have anything to say about it. Right before Kojiro bleed out and Kasumi was on the verge of death she jabbed her fingers into his face and ripped his eyes out of the sockets and replaced hers with his on the spot before stumbling away." Kumi opened her eyes with a pained expression having had them shut whilst retelling the story.

"Mum, there's one thing I don't get if Dads sister was in such a week state couldn't you have got her back? 'Cause you're really strong I'm sure if she was battered and tired enough you cou-" Kazumi stopped seeing her mother shake her head blonde hair swaying as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sorry darling but I'm much stronger now than I was then also I was four months pregnant the last thing I wanted was to lose my entire family in one day, I might have been learning about chakra and such from your father before the pregnancy and a little during but it was nowhere near enough to try against Kasumi. I didn't learn any real sort of hand to hand until I was with Fuugetsu." Kumi wiped the welled-up tears away with the sleeve of her light blue kimono, expression losing its sadness and become a soft smile.

"Anyway let's come away from that glum stuff and talk about something more interesting like say are there any boys-"

* * *

**AN: Hey how's it going again, it's been a while, nearly 2 months but more like a month and some change. I'm probably going to make the schedule either to a chapter every two weeks and a month break every four chapters to write ahead or I'll stick with the one a week for four weeks before taking a month and a half long or 2 months long break. Anyway until next week sometime probably.**


	10. Chapter 10, End of Volume 1

**AN:**

* * *

_Swish stab_ an Uchigatana was pulled back and flicked out whipping the blood in an arc on the muddy dirt beneath Chimon's feet he turned to Kazumi who had just taken down three opponents with her kunai and wore a grim expression as she retrieved the knives from the corpses. Shirou called the two over to where she had killed ten shinobi that tried to jump her. _They're young, too young. Was this what we wanted when we decided to do this all those years ago? Mother said that it was bloody but, I don't think we truly understood what bloody meant. Kazumi wants to make peace between all the Ninja clans like that idea Hashirama often brought up but this… this isn't what she had in mind I don't think._ Walking through the warzone Chimon began his duty of making sure the corpses were that corpses, stabbing his Uchigatana through the bodies that lay on the ground occasionally getting groans from the people unfortunate enough to not die from the attack immediately. The bright sunlight looming above them dried the blood on their clothing, the clouds slowly passing giving partial moments of shade as they worked their way through the area.

Kazumi's Sharingan blazing red as she looked around for movement among the bodies so she could help Chimon, her three tomoe in either eye flickering back and forth as she scanned around before calling to Chimon to stop and come over, when he walked over she noticed bags starting to form under his eyes and stress lines forming making him look older than he was. Chimons expression was one Kazumi had seen for years but it wasn't until recently that she realised how eerie it was how uncomfortable it made her feel. _His eyes look so devoid of emotion like he doesn't see anything wrong with this… the killing, even when we started he was like that he did it with apathy that I didn't realise he had. I hope this isn't weighing on him more than it looks like it isn't, but he's my little brother if he isn't willing to talk to me about that then what will he tell me about? Was it the right thing to let him become a Shinobi like this? Was it worth it for me? What are we even doing here anymore? Day in day out we kill this is nothing like what I had in mind… I wish Hashirama and Madara were here and didn't want each other dead then we could go back to normal I miss them its been too many years._ Shirou handed the two a water bottle before downing her own.

all three of them were in maskless blue shozoku with each of them with a sword, Kazumi had a Ninjato on her lower back, Shirou had an Odachi slung on her back and Chimon had his Uchigatana on his hip. Kazumi had her hair up in a loop bun, Shirou had short shoulder length hair having cut it after it kept getting her way, Chimons was shoulder length as well though the blue of his hair had become more prominent as it accented the main of it being white.

"Alright let's get the fuck out of here this place already makes me sick I just wanna get paid and you two need to get back to Kumi before she worries herself to death."

* * *

_Looks like I'm 38 this year, I wonder… Has it really been that long since I saw Kojiro and Fuugetsu? 16 years… oh, that reminds me Kazumi and Chimon are going to formally start their careers as Shinobi, though for the last year and a half they've been doing jobs with Jun, Kyou and occasionally Shirou. Now though, now they will start doing jobs on their own I hope they stay safe after that mission where they ended up on the battlefield with the Senju fighting against the Uchiha, they got to see their friends again but not in the situation they wanted. Kazumi didn't use her Sharingan during it so the Uchiha's still don't know about hers though when she came back from that she tackled me in a hug when she let all her feelings finally get to her, her eyes were blazing that loving Uchiha red. I don't think Kazumi even knows that whenever she's super emotional she activates it._

* * *

It's June 17th, Chimon's 14th birthday he hadn't even realized it was approaching until he woke up one morning and the beautiful blondes in his life said as much getting a hug from them at the same time, crushing him with their love. It made him feel happy to see them smile so he was contempt with that much, he wasn't really bothered by birthdays anymore they just meant he was older and that was it really, though he supposed they were good for making memories with his family like a time when Kyousuke had gotten drunk with Shirou and both his Aunts couldn't tell left from right and ended up kissing him before one another and now the two blamed one each other for it and Kyou especially couldn't look at him without turning away until he talked to her about to say to just forget it happened as he would. He wouldn't tell anyone but that was definitely one of his favourite memories to call back on to see his Aunts who were often at one another passionately kissing before realising what happened and smacking each other so hard they both hit the floor it made him laugh, and he needed to hold onto the stuff that does as much as he can.

He's known for years about his Apathy problem and so holds onto what memories and moments that make him laugh as best he can, there was another such memory that involved Jun and Himeno.

_Jun was standing in the backyard with Chimon while Himeno, Kazumi, Kumi and Takumi who was hanging off his mother. Jun and Chi were practising with kunai and shuriken, they had spent the better part of an hour doing a 'live fire' test using the ones they had for combat, when they were cleaning up Jun ended up fumbling with some kunai and dropping them all but one missed his feet said one went into his right foot earning a pained expression from him trying not to yell, when he went to pull it out he couldn't because of the pain so he got Chimon to do it and right the moment it came out the bleeding got worse and so did the pain. He yelled, and it wasn't one of the most pleasant words to come from his mouth._

_"_

**FUCK!**_"_

_Himeno was standing right behind him with Takumi at the time and mere seconds after hearing the word Takumi started repeating it, Himeno was angry and it was hilarious to watch her chase Jun around the yard throwing items at him yelling about swearing in front of their son, teaching him curses and whatnot._

The memory made him laugh pretty hard, he still remembered the look on Jun's face when he heard Takumi repeat him the colour drained from the older man's face and it only got worse when he saw and heard Himeno's reaction to it.

The sky was in overcast and the world went on with light rain, despite it being Summer. The looming grey sky and clouds blew onward as it reached midday when Chimon's mother and sister had planned to do something with him, they hadn't told him what exactly, but he suspected it was a cake of some kind as his mother had once stated she wanted to make them cake one year for their birthdays. She had been travelling more recently and even went back to working as a merchant in the village they were in which Chimon had guessed that she was beginning to get bored of staying around the house and reading eighty percent of the time with the rest were looking after him and his sister as well as spending time with her friends. When Chimon arrived back at the house after being out for most of the morning sparring with Shirou and talking with her partner a little while he was there, he walked into the genkan and announced he was home in doing so he got a reply from his sister who was in the kitchen when he walked in.

"Hey, Kazu." He said walking up to the counter that separated the kitchen and the living room, taking a seat on one of the three chairs that lined the counter he folded his arms out in front of him resting his chin on them slouching on the counter.

"Hi Chi, how're you doing? Did you enjoy sparring Shirou?" Kazumi turned from what she was cooking and leaned against the counter opposite the one Chimon was on.

"Yeah it was pretty great she's been teaching me Kenjutsu lately oh and I was talking to 'Pachi" Chimon tilted his head so that he was using his arm as a pillow.

"who do you mean 'Pachi'? oh, wait you mean Shinpachirou?" Kazumi turned back to the food she was making and continued cooking.

"Yeah he and I had a chat when I got there and before I left. He's nice, I'm glad Shirou found someone like him" Chimon watched as his sister moved around the kitchen with near exact movements of their mother. _Oh, my gods, she used her Sharingan to copy Mums cooking and movements when she cooks. That actually hilarious._

Chimon started laughing to himself before it grew, and he was laughing enough to get his sister to turn to him with a questioning look which made him laugh more, remembering the nickname she had when they were kids 'chibi Kumi' or something to that effect. When he finally calmed down Kazumi was still waiting for an explanation.

"Chibi-Kumi and her Sharingan huh." He watched as his sister flushed realising why he was laughing.

* * *

It was nearing 7pm the sun was slowly beginning it's decent letting the orange hue of warmth gleam out over fire country, the Shimizu house was bathed in said warmth giving a beautiful light. Kazumi, Chimon and Kumi sat around the living room table eating a chocolate cake that Kumi had acquired the ingredients for from her merchant contacts as well as the recipe is based off something else she had seen around when travelling. They ate and talked mostly about the cake itself and how Kumi had managed to come up with the idea, eventually when they'd all had their fill Kumi brought out a wrapped gift for Chimon, handing it to him Kumi sat down across from him waiting to see his reaction. Kazumi had a smirk on her face seeing her baby brother with the gift knowing full well what it was. Chimon lifted the wrapped package to his ear and shook it to see if he could make an educated guess but whatever it was either was packaged well to prevent it from moving or wasn't something that would make a noise. Tearing away the wrapping paper he was confronted with a box opening the box he found a necklace with a jade water kanji pendant with two translucent quarts magatama one on either side of it. He lifted it from the box pulling the **水** into his palm.

"It's… beautiful. Thank you. Mum, Kazumi." Tears prickling at the edge of his eyes he drew them into a crushing hug, sitting back he clipped the necklace around his neck.

* * *

**AN: With that Chapter ten concludes the first "Volume" of the story and I'm happy with where it's going at the moment. Speaking on the Volumes though, each will be 10 chapters long by the looks of where things are headed and on top of that depending on circumstances I might use that break between Volumes to write ahead more. Anyway, till next week I suppose.**


	11. Chapter 11, No Place Like Home

**AN:**

* * *

Their employer wanted them to go and kill his competitor and make it look like an accident preferably by something that was consumed, those were the parameters given for Kazumi and Chimon. The two had travelled for two days across the Land of Fire to their target he was an aristocrat who had recently made a deal with a company in the Land of Wind, the deal would have him supporting a militant clan in Wind that their employer was scoping the deal for before being undermined. The siblings had reluctantly taken this job at the suggestion of Kyousuke who had also like Shirou and their mother given Kazumi a talk about using her Sharingan on jobs as they didn't want to word getting out that there was a blond running around with the Uchihas' signature feature. The target was living a day out from the border to Wind in a large mansion he often held parties for his own benefactors and friends, the siblings were going to be getting in as hired guards for the event as apparently, people wanted to take his life and he was being more cautious then he normally would be. They had the plan to drop poison in his meal or drink at some point if that was ever out of the question they would artificially create a situation using the Sharingan's Genjutsu that Kazumi had been working on to make him drink/eat the spiked things. If that of all things was impossible for them to pull off, then they'd have him fall from one of the balconies.

Right now the two were staying in a nearby inn changing out of their mission equipment into the guard outfits they were given, they were supposed to head to the mansion afterwards so they could meet the target properly and introduce themselves as well as get to know the other guards. The guard outfits were teal Kimono for the female guards and cobalt Kimono for the male guards. It took the pair roughly an hour to walk to the estate that the target owned upon arriving they were greeted with an enormous white stone structure that looked like it was marbled from a mountain, there was a large pathway that lead up to the building that had a fountain with a statue of a scantily clad woman garnering a jug in her had poured the water out into the catchment of the fountain, surrounding that was a garden and waist height hedges. Standing on the other side of the fountain that they could see from a large metal gate at the front of the property was three men and two women dressed in the guard outfits, as well as a man in a vibrant plum, coloured Kimono with short dark hair, he stood half a head above most of the men waiting in front of him. Kazumi and Chimon admired the building as they talked to a guard at the gate that let them in, as they walked over they heard the target talking to the guards about something they didn't quite catch before he noticed them and called to them.

"Ah! You two must be Shizuo and Akemi, it's wonderful to meet you! Don't worry you're not late I was just chatting with the others I hired for this job. Now that you're here though we can introduce ourselves formally, I'm Kuranosuke Fujimura just call be Kuranosuke though." He motioned for the siblings to introduce themselves.

"I'm Shizuo Fukami, it's a pleasure to work under you sir," Chimon said with a smile.

"I'm Akemi Fukami, it's a pleasure to under your employ, Master," Kazumi said sweetly.

"Now then how about the rest of you introduce yourselves while I go and talk to my servants." And with that, Kuranosuke left into the palace of a building.

The other guards turned to the siblings before one of them opted to do introductions first.

"Gyouku Hina" a man with dark brown hair and blue eyes, he was clean shaven and rather tall in comparison to the siblings who were a bit more than a head shorter than him.

"Asuka Toyotomi" a woman with soft blue hair and hazel eyes, she was rather curvy and spoke with a soft voice.

"Yuu Hashiro" a man with black hair, hazel eyes and a gruff voice.

"Naofuma Sushiro" a man with blonde hair and sage green eyes.

"Chikara Ako" a woman with red hair, with cobalt blue eyes. Kazumi noticed that Chimon was lost in Chikara's gaze.

After the introductions the group went into the building and waited in the foyer for their employer to come back, he arrived not after too long and gave them all a quick rundown of where they should be and what to do in the case of an intruder or anything suspicious. Chimon and Kazumi were going to be stationed in different areas but had overlapping patrol areas, so they would be able to chat a few times throughout, Gyouku would be in the main dining hall with Yuu and Asuka. Naofuma and Kazumi were to keep an eye on the kitchens and front entrance while Chimon and Chikara would be patrolling the majority of the building walking around making sure things weren't disturbed. Eventually when the guests arrived there was twenty odd guests that came into the lavish dining hall had an enormous table at the end of it with foods splayed out on it with Kuranosukes servants walking around with trays of drinks serving them to the patrons. There were tables with four seats around them in the room for after the initial gathering for the guests when the main course was to be served.

* * *

_Man this isn't good why'd I get stuck with this girl… how am I supposed to focus when she's around this must be some sick kind of joke. I know mother was joking around with Kazumi about her finding a partner but c'mon Fate why must you torture me so._ I was brought forth from my thoughts when the woman in question said something I didn't catch.

"Shizuo, Shizuo? Are you listening?" she asked looking at me with an arched brow.

"Uh.. yeah sorry I zoned out this place is quite beautiful so I'm still taking it in, so what was it you were saying Chikara?" her arched brow lowered and was replaced by a smile.

"I was just saying how if all things go as planned this should be an easy job right? And yeah this place is expensive I feel like I'll have a lifelong debt just for putting a smudge on this stuff." She turned her head gesturing to the many Vases and other items on the pedestals around us.

"One can only hope, right? Plus Kuranosuke is paying us far too much for this to not be worth it" I said looking out a window that we passed as we walked a long corridor.

It didn't take us that long to walk around the huge mansion checking for anything out of the ordinary when we passed through the kitchen to where our routes overlapped with Kazu's she was in the middle of ignoring what Naofuma was saying, I think he might have been trying to hit on her but he jumped out of his skin when I said Hello to them. It didn't really take much time to realize he was trying to hit on Kazumi, I left it as was because she deserved this after what she did to me for making fun of her for using her Sharingan to copy Mums cooking skills. Naofuma seemed to enjoy guard missions the most from what I gather from the small interaction we had before we all had to go back to travelling the routes, before that though I did get a word in with Kazumi about potential locations for Kuranosukes trip and she told me about the kitchens and how his meals were separated from the other people's so we had a chance to poison it if we wanted.

**8888888**

_This is really boring, I wish he'd just stop. I have nothing against you Naofuma but you really don't interest me in any way and just because Chi isn't here anymore doesn't mean that I care anymore or less about your attempts to court me. We're on a mission as well how can you be so blasé about this._

"Hey Sushiro, how about we get back to patrolling the route and checking our designated spots." _I'm so sick of his shit._

"C'mon this job is piss easy what idiot is gonna try to kill this guy this place has guards crawling all over it including us, plus they got nothin' to gain from his death." He made some gestures with his hands as we walked.

"Well someone must be stupid enough especially if he hired everyone" I slowly started veering off to the staircase that leads up to the balcony Chi mentioned, Naofuma either didn't notice or didn't care.

"I guess but I just don't get it, the man's rich sure and he does hold a ton of land in the area but he's pretty fair with shit" Naofuma put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling.

"Hey look at this for a quick second…" right as he looked me in the eye my Sharingan flared knocking him out, I caught him before he hit the floor. I dragged him over to the window next to us opening it and gave one last look around then shoved him out the window head first.

_Y'know I wish I was sorry but I'm not we have a job to do and you're in the way._

I closed the window and deactivated my Sharingan, turning away I thought of what excuse I would use to explain his disappearance. Maybe he went to use a bathroom and hasn't come back.

_sigh_

"Where are you now little brother…"

* * *

"I'm really sorry about this" my fist impacted the back of Chikara's skull knocking her unconscious, there was a closet of some kind behind us off to the side of the hallway. Dragging her into it, there was a few brooms and buckets in the closet and some cans on a shelf.

I closed the door behind be freezing up when I heard footsteps, I turned pulling out a kunai hidden in my Kimono. My eyes met with green framed by a pale face with platinum blonde hair. Realizing who it was I lowered my knife and hid it again. Those same green eyes rolled with a smirk flashing on her face before she spoke.

"Dearest little brother pulling a knife on me, how could you!" she feigned taking an arrow like Jun had done to them all those years ago.

"Right, well you did sneak up on me after I finished up with Chikara." I watched her smirk grow.

"On a first name basis already? My little brother isn't so little anymore and finishing up? What dear do I ask did you finish? I hope it wasn't inside brother, that's how strays are born." She laughed at her own joke slapping my shoulder as my face flared a deep red.

"I-I…Uh…" _Damn her._

"HAHAHA! Your face! Your face! It'd too good! Oh, my gods!" Kazumi was doubling over laughing, after a few moments the blush faded, and she stopped laughing.

"I guess you noticed then?" She wiped a tear from her eye looking at me.

"Yeah of course, how could I not? Though to be fair she looked like she might have enjoyed you as eye candy, so it was mutual, though I don't think this is what Shirou meant by 'hitting em' from behind' at least I don't think so." I watched her straighten out the Kimono before getting a more serious look.

"Alright your hormones aside I've gotten rid of Naofuma and the others are none the wiser we should be able to poison Kuranosuke's food confirm the death and skedaddle before they find the bodies, or corpse and unconscious girl." Kazumi walked passed me towards the stairwell that came out next to one of the kitchen entrances.

I followed her as she entered the kitchen acting as though her partner hadn't changed and subtly dropped a paralytic and a strong poison into the food that was being made for the target. We walked out the other side into the main foyer and loitered until the food was taken into the main hall, from there we watched from the shadows as the paralytic kicked in before the poison made his eyes roll into the back of his head. No one could tell he was dead until a minute passed and he hadn't moved an inch. Then the panic started, and we stuck around in the shadows until they realized he wasn't responding, Gyouku, Yuu and Asuka started to panic themselves after realizing what had happened, then they started the search and that's when I stripped the Kimono and Kazu stripped hers leaving us in the Shozoku we used for missions. We leapt from the roof into the forestry around the mansion and travelled through the trees back to the Inn.

when we arrived there we went straight to the room and collapsed onto the bed and going to sleep from there we were both too tired from the run to be bothered with anything else.

* * *

When I woke there was a distinct blonde head of hair slathered on me some of which was in my mouth… sighing I pushed Kazumi off of me and dragging myself into a sitting position on the futon then stood and started stretching, from there I made for my bag I'd brought and dug through it for the money I brought to buy food but before I found the money I found a letter.

_'Hey, Kiddo!_

_not sure when you'll see this but preferably before the job is over, if you can try to avoid killing anyone that isn't the target and if you do then make sure the body is hidden well so that they don't have an idea of who it could be. Maybe try to make it seem like you two also got clobbered by the assailant, but yeah kiddo's stay safe and have fun!_

_From Kyousuke.'_

"Fuck…kinda wish she had just said this to our faces." Putting the letter away I take what money I need, sixteen Shu… that's four thousand Mon or so, that should be more than enough.

_Man makes me think about how well off we are we don't live in a wood, straw mud hut or anything we don't need to make ends meet with a rice patty and we haven't ever had to worry about affording things, huh. I think I remember Mum said she had roughly twenty odd Ryo before she started working again, that's a lot of money, to say the least._

rolling the coins around in my palm I pocketed them before getting up and moving to go buy food from the shop out the front of the Inn. There was a little old lady sitting at a desk with a metal plate and a fire under it heating the metal for cooking, she was in the middle of cooking several types of meat, what looked like pork and beef. She gave me a quick once over as I approached and pointed to a sign in front of the desk that read "grilled meat 100 Mon for 4 pieces a person" I handed her one Shu.

"I'll take two portions, and you can keep the change" she looked rather grateful even a little surprised to be paid in Shu, I moved to sit and wait on a chair at a table near the front of the stall/shop.

When it was ready she handed it to me in two separate paper bags, after thanking her I headed back up to Kazumi to rouse her for breakfast and get ready to head home_, I'm sure she is as done with this mission as I am. It was meant to be our first without anyone helping and we had an unnecessary casualty, the situation with Chikara is bothersome I kinda hope I can apologize for that sometime in the future or just apologize to them all, after all, we did sorta ruin a good payday for them._

Entering the room Kazumi had rolled off the futon onto the ground and was lying on her back hair splayed out like a spiders web across the floor, it was almost cute, then I kicked her.

"Damn it! What the heck! Why?" she was sat upright rubbing her arm where I had kicked her.

"To get back at you for the joke you made at my expense, also because I have breakfast and we need to get ready to go home." I handed her the food and started eating my own.

"Whrat mas hat ting Himeno said to drou tap your heels together three times in a row and say-" Kazumi had food in her mouth and continued stuffing herself as we said in unison.

"There's no place like home."

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**AN: For the scene where Chimon is talking about money I used Sengoku Jidai currency and conversion rates between them, if you want to look into that more all you have to do is look up "Japanese Mon Currency" and it should be on the Wiki page. Anyway just from what I've been writing so far the "Second Volume" for this story looks to be a bit of a backstory and a little world building Volume so if that interests you look forward to it. Catch you later then.**


	12. Chapter 12, Use your words

Travelling was one of the things the Shimizu siblings loved and absolutely hated. They were headed home after getting paid for the job, their employer was immensely happy with their performance and paid them extra. The pay for it was going to be 2 Ryo but he paid them 6 each. They loved and disdained travel for the simple notions that they got to see the beauty around them in the world and also the horrors of battlefields that had been left in the wake of some of the enormous Uchiha and Senju battles, ever since the new clan heads took over their respective clans the battles have become more and more incomprehensible, entire forests destroyed and made back through some Jutsu they could only guess was Hashirama's, enormous stretches of earth churned up and destroyed. Their old friends were having battles that made them unrecognizable to them, at one point Hashirama had even reached out to them and met with them after he became clan head asking if they would join the Senju but, Kazumi and Chimon turned him away because he wasn't that same friend they had and because they knew if they did that they would be pitted against Madara.

When the two arrived home no one was there, Kumi was working and so they had the house to themselves. They cleaned themselves up and went to bed in their respective rooms. Later that day when Kumi would come home she was happy to see her children's mission packs sitting in the genkan, she walked further inside to the living room taking a moment to yawn and stretch before moving to make herself tea.

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I walked outside into the garden sitting down on a chair next to a coffee table and let out a relaxed breath closing my eyes as the smell of the tea wafted through the air into my nostrils, opening my eyes again I sipped the tea before setting the cup down and staring out at the yard before me.

_I'm glad Kazu and Chi are back safely, their job only had them away for a few days but still. They've been running jobs a fair amount recently I wonder if they'll take a few days to break before starting again. Time sure flies it feels like it was only yesterday that I trying to keep those two from smearing gunk on the walls and stop them from pulling on my hair when I had them in my arms._

After what I guessed was something like half an hour of sitting outside enjoying my tea I heard footsteps in the house, they sounded like Chimon's from what I could tell. His head popped out of the door and gave me a smile saying hello before sitting down with me in a chair opposite myself, he had brought out a jug with more tea and his own cup refilling mine before he sat down. He sipped his tea for a bit before turning to me.

"Hey Mum, how's it going?" I turned to him watching as the slight breeze of the afternoon blew his hair around his face.

"I'm doing pretty good Chi, being back at work has made my days pass a little faster but it's a lot of fun, I can't say I'm not enjoying it, but what about you my little puddle of wisdom?" he rolled his eyes at the nickname I'd given him so long ago.

"I'm doing well myself, the job we just did was interesting enough and I got to meet a girl that was quite beautiful, though Kazumi noticed immediately and capitalized on it making some jokes at my expense. It was fun anyway, well aside from actual death of our target part but that hasn't ever really affected me I'm not sure about Kazu but I'm sure it hits her harder, so I've been keeping her away from that line of thought as much as I can. I know you said Dad was really apathetic and sorta emotionally stunted when it came to that type of thing, so I've been trying to work that out of my personality, or at the very least trying to have more emotion towards it." He looked out ahead of us for a few seconds thinking on it a bit longer before nodding to himself as if to confirm he had nothing else to tell me.

"Well, it's nice to hear the job went well and you meet a girl even? It's also nice to hear that you two still tease each other, on the note of the killing and your apathy I'd say you're doing fine with those at the moment you definitely have it easier off compared to Fuugetsu, with Kazu though just remember that she'll deal with it in her own way I imagine she's grateful for what you do since you two are always together but, I'm here for you as well. I love you two with all my heart and I'll never stop loving you, there's only so much I can make educated guesses on though so talk to me when you're down or feeling off, K?" a soft smile crossed Chi's face as he returned my smile he reached over and hugged me, I reciprocated it and held him tight before sitting back and enjoying a few minutes silence with him.

"OH! Before I forget, Jun and Shirou want you to meet up with them soon for more weapon training. They said that they'll be getting you used to a few different swords and whatnot to see what suits you better than whatever you've been using." I picked up my nearing empty cup and quickly sipped the rest then poured myself more as well as Chi.

"Alright, I'll go see them tomorrow." Chimon stopped for a second thinking on something before speaking to me again.

"I love you, Mum. I feel like I don't say that enough honestly, I know a said it a fair amount as a kid but, I don't think I've said it all that much in recent memory." I giggled a bit for a moment getting a sideways glance from my puddle of wisdom.

"You don't have to say it for me to know it, but the thought is appreciated My puddle of wisdom, I love you too."

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**AN: So this chapter is super short only about a thousand words or so not really sure why I guess I just felt that what was in it deserved to be like this, anyway this marks the 4 chapter interval where I don't post for a month or so to build the back log up more. Look forward to some backstory stuff when I resume releasing chapters, have a good one until then.**


	13. Chapter 13, Paths of the Past

**AN: So I got a question for everyone, how do you feel about honorifics? Do you like "san" "Chan" "Kun" "Dono/Sama" or the Japanese for people like "Obaasan/Ojisan" "Okaa-san/Otou-san" and other stuff like that because the more I write the more I kinda want to go back through and change the story to have them.**

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Kojiro dashed through the lush green, wet dense forest as fast as he could only slowing to avoid tripping, slamming into trees and wildlife. His jet-black shoulder-length hair flowed in the wind as he leapt from tree branch to tree branch occasionally looking behind him to make sure he wasn't being followed. His grey cloak flailed and whipped around as he bounced off the bark kicking up bits wood, revealing his black high collar generic t-shirt and black shorts that he had taken as his only pair of clothes after he said his final goodbye to his older sister Kasumi. She had earlier that week helped him fake his death and promised to help him with his escape he was currently in the middle of, he had been running for five odd minutes by his guess, he was still within the compound though on the outskirts where a large forest that covered a kilometre out around the compound. The rain that was hailing down on him wasn't helping his mood, he was despite how he left feeling immeasurably sad for his sister wish he had been able to bring her with him as she had always stated her disdain for the clan especially after their parents died and they were left out to fend for themselves as their parents had done some unsavoury things that the clan had decided to take out their hate on Him and Kasumi.

Passing the last tree that marked the border to the outskirts Kojiro came to a stop under a large oak catching his breath and taking a moment to look out around him watching the rain make puddles on the ground and turn the dirt to mud under the grey looming clouds, a heavy sigh left him with his eyes half open looking back in the direction that his home was. Staring up at the dark sky drops of rain softly tapping on his face and rolling down dripping onto his already soaked cloak, with one final heavy-hearted breath he pushed off the oak he had been leaning against kicking off the ground back onto the high up tree branches continuing his escape to wherever he was going.

_Shit in all the commotion I forgot to actually plan where to go. I need to get as far from here as possible that much is obvious but where? …Wait shit I know! That family I helped on my first job that lived on the outskirts of the land of fire, right. I know where I'm headed but I need to get some money or start a criminal career to find some new clothing and start to change my look, so I can be as far from an Uchiha as possible. Hm, actually I'll just try to earn some money I'd rather not steal if I don't have to._

It didn't take much longer for Kojiro to reach a small collection of huts, it had been roughly twenty-odd minutes of running at full speed, that had a small shed at the back of them where it seemed to have farming equipment stored in it, because of how wet and crappy the weather was there wasn't anyone wondering around or at the least in is immediate view of the buildings. There was a small rice paddy behind one of the buildings where he noticed a woman covered head to toe in thick clothing with a hood her brown hair framed her face coming out of the hood. He noticed she was going throw the paddy checking it for damage before she stood and began walking back toward what he assumed was her home, from the tree he sat in that was on a hill that backed the houses he could make out a river in the distance through the forest surrounding them. He made a note to go there and wash in the morning deciding to go and try to sleep for a few hours in the shed he saw.

Kojiro stealthily passed by the houses to the shed trying his best not to make noises before slipping into the shed unnoticed and taking stock of what he saw. There were shelves on the left that had containers and a few tools on them, on the right there was a container marked 'Seeds' and against the back wall were several sacks filled with what he guessed was rice, as well as what looked like tatami mats of all things. He spent a few minutes messing with the mats and sacks positioning them, so he could lay against the wall with his cloak as a blanket having used a surge of fire chakra to warm his body and dry his clothes. It didn't take too long for him to fall asleep hoping to wake up within two to three hours, so he would head out at night and try to make it to a town with shops or an Inn, he hoped his luck would hold out for that.

He was awoken when Sunlight crept in through the cracks of the shed and there was a sound nearby of a door being opened followed by footsteps and mud squelching, making him shoot upright cursing in his mind realising he had messed up and slept right through to the next morning. There was a female voice humming nearby it sounded like they were in the direction of the rice paddy, Kojiro peaked out of the shed door seeing the same woman he had seen the day before now in less thick clothing and without a hood marking out an area to begin making a new paddy leaving her distracted and not facing his direction, he slowly opened the door and dash off into the treeline that was a hundred odd meters away from the shed. He did make some noise sloshing and splashing the mud as his chakra boosted him into the trees and up one of them once he was a few trees in, he turned towards where the woman was seeing her looking in the direction of the shed before shrugging to herself and continuing what she was doing. Kojiro took one last look then took off into the forest in a direction he remembered there being a village in.

* * *

Walking down the main road the village came into my view, it's been a few years since I last past through here so I can't remember the name off the top of my head, the people walking the dirt paths around the village were mostly dressed in worn kimono's with tabi and a few with straw hats lugging buckets or containers around. I must look like shit because several people that got a look at me immediately looked away and scurried off, I got a good look at my reflection in a puddle and I did, in fact, look like shit. My face had dirt splotches on my left cheek and some on my forehead going into my hair, looking at my clothes they were just as dirty my feet were covered in dry mud and my pants were crumpled. Whilst my clothing overall was cleaner than some of theirs I did look like I fell in a puddle or had someone thrown mud at me.

With a sigh I moved slowly through the street toward a store that had a sign out the front with an arrow pointing toward its door and text under it that read 'Takahashi's Thread' as I got to the entrance I looked in to see a man, wearing a grey kimono with a wheat strand in his mouth and he also had his hair tied up in a messy ponytail, standing at a desk with several tables around that had kimono's and other clothing on them. Walking over to one of the tables I picked up a deep blue faded kimono that looked like it had been damaged and repaired recently, putting in down in front of him on the desk he raised his eyes to mine and stated the price in a rough hoarse voice. After I payed I took the kimono and walked out to an area with no one around, behind the shops next to a tree in an alleyway of sorts, then changed into the kimono wrapped up my other clothes in the cloak and carried them under my arm back out onto the main path before my stomach grumbled loudly getting some looks from some passers-by and a few kids that were on the street laughed at the noise.

I looked around for a food vendor and found a woman selling Dango sticks, me being the sucker for sweets that I am, I brought six sticks with the last of my money and ate them as I walked through the village to the other side, by the time I finished the danger I had made it to a little hut just outside the village that had three men dressed in spotty samurai splint with spears that were acting as guards from my guess.

The trail I followed led into another forest of bright green trees and foliage, I took the time I had to think about everything a little more and try to plan out the next month or so.

_It's going to take a week to get to where I'm headed, maybe less if I run the whole way but I'm not really in favour of exhausting myself every other day until I'm there. I'm sorta looking forward to meeting that family again the kid they had who was my age was a cool guy I'd like to become his friend if I can, I can't remember his name right now but all I can remember is his short pale blue hair it was a pretty odd colour. With these new clothes though it should make hiding me being ninja trained easier… huh, maybe I should try to hitch a ride on one of the travelling merchant caravans to the town I'm headed to. Now that I think about it there was one Merchant group from there or around there that have a route around the land of fire that comes near here I might be able to catch them if they're here if not I'll just find another one._

As the day went on and I was walking at a comfortable pace on the beaten dirt road I was about to stop to rest for a few minutes when I heard a girly sounding shrill echo from the forest treeline behind where I was about to sit, immediately alert I turned that direction and began moving when there was another male yell of pain, at that point my pace picked up and not before long I burst into an opening where a caravan was set up and saw three men in olive green cloaks standing over a group of people all with varying injuries. Two women had bruises on there faces, three young looking men had knife wounds and of the eight children there all of them had bruises and in particular a blonde hair girl that caught my eye had a large bleeding sword wound from her right shoulder cut across her body down to just above her waist on the left side, the girl like most of the people caught had tears on her face though she seemed to be in shock. Not exactly having the time to evaluate further as the men in cloaks turned towards me at the sound and one of them raised his ninjatou at me and spoke.

"This doesn't concern you, kid, why don't you leave and forget you saw this." His eyes watched me coolly with a raised eyebrow waiting for me to run away I imagine, but I was never the smartest person around and I charged him.

Right before his sword connected with me I tackled his abdomen and tried to force him into the ground, as his back smack the grass it sparked something in a few of the men on the ground and they got up to attack the other two ninja as the one I tackled threw me off of him making me land hard almost winding me, as I recovered he looked pissed and that was all I saw as his foot stomped down on my chest winding me. He went to put his sword through my chest but was stopped when the blonde girl that caught my eye, still bleeding and in far too much pain to be moving knocked him to the side making the sword puncture the ground next to me, he turned and hit her with the back of his hand as this girl tears in her terrified eyes and blood dripping everywhere from her bloodied clothing hit the ground with a pained scream. Then, something snapped in me, the world became black and red, the ninja had an odd blue flowing around their bodies and time seemed to slow as I acted on instinct kicking his legs out from under him then pulling the sword away as he fell before his gurgled choke on his own blood snapped me back to reality the sword in my hand driven into his chest as well as a neck puncture wound. I looked to the side of me where the men from the caravan had also killed the other ninja, my view was no longer black and red, and I noticed a sharp pain in my thigh as I went to walk then my vision faded to black and I collapsed. 

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**AN: Anyway it's nice to be back, hope you guys enjoy this arc. Catch you next week I guess.**


	14. Chapter 14, Potp part 2

**AN: So I started a new project that probably won't get posted for a few months at the least, I'll have a description up on my page if you care to check it out. **

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There was a wooden roof, the sound of wheels moving, wood creaking, items jingling and occasional muffled voices when I woke. There were bandages on my left leg where a slight pain was simmering, looking around I was in a smallish wooden carriage I assumed could only fit four maybe five people. My head was rested on a soft pillow and a brown blanket was covering most of me but my afore mentioned left leg which I had pulled the blanket away from when I felt the initial pang upon waking, right as I was about to move myself into a more comfortable sitting position a familiar looking woman in an ivory silk kimono came in with a roll of bandages and a tub of something, she had blonde hair and beautiful green eyes that I couldn't quite make it off the tip of my tongue as for why I thought I knew her. I froze up like I was doing something I wasn't meant to be doing when she looked to me but, she gave me a look over before smiling and speaking.

"Hello dear, how are you doing? Are there any sharp pains or are you finding it difficult to breathe?" she asked as she sat next to the bed I was on and looked over my thigh unwrapping the bandages.

"I-I Uh… I'm feeling okay I guess? And my leg has lingering pain in it, also why might I find it hard to breathe?" I answered with a little more stuttering than I would have liked.

"That's good to hear, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's the thigh I'm currently re-disinfecting and bandaging, on the note of breathing though I just wanted to make sure your lungs didn't get damaged when that ninja stomped on your chest. Oh, I'm Shimizu Tsuna by the way." Her hands moved cleaning the large cut on my thigh where she dipped a few fingers into the tub and wiped a salve of some kind on my leg before rebandaging it.

"I'm Uchi- Kojiro just call me Kojiro, so uh... someone stomped on my chest? I don't remember that happening." My brow furrowed as I tried to remember the last thing I did before waking up.

"Ah, well when you showed up and attacked those ninjas as stupid an idea as that was, you did kill their leader somehow and gave some of my friends the chance to take the other two on. Though my daughter who is still recovering from that nasty wound that's going to scar decided to try and help you and right before that you were having your chest caved in by the ninja." Tsuna frowned when she mentioned her daughter which is probably why I thought she looked familiar.

"Uh yeah, it's kinda coming back to me now., so you said your daughter right? How is she alive? From what I remember she looked like someone attacked her with a sword." I asked as Tsuna started giving me some form of medical examination.

"Well, I'll chalk it up to the gods and say they didn't want me to lose my family just yet or to children healing faster than adults. It was probably because one of the women travelling with us used to be part of some ninja clan that taught her how to use something called chakra and with it, she can heal people, it's pretty amazing. Hopefully, I can learn it from her, me being the caravan's main source of medical knowledge and treatment it would go a long way to have something like it." She made a gesture with her right hand as her left poked and tapped me occasionally asking if there was a pain there.

"So before you leave, who are you all? I know I did something really stupid and all and tried to save you, but I don't actually have any idea who you are." Tsuna rested her chin in her left hand before responding.

"Well we're merchants if that much wasn't obvious kid but, we don't really have a name I'm sure we could come up with one but it doesn't really matter, and as far as who we are, you already know who I am aside from being the doctor I'm also the leader of this caravan, and my daughter Kumi who tried to help you is next in line to become leader. All things considered, though the others would probably want to introduce themselves rather than me telling you. So, when you're feeling better and can walk ask them, oh and if my daughter decides to drop by please don't encourage her she's still in dire need of bed rest to heal that scar on her torso." With that Tsuna got up and walked out the door.

A sigh escaped me as I leaned back laying down, so I was staring up at the wooden roof, I laid there resting for a few hours before someone knocked on the door and a male voice said they were coming in.

"Heyyo kid! How're you doing? Tsuna said you were awake, so I wanted to bring you food as thanks for doing the bravest, stupidest shit I ever seen, I mean like fuck Kid! Attacking ninja unarmed wasn't the brightest thing ever! Anyhow, I'm sure Tsuna berated you for that and the others will to, here some rice. Oh, and I'm Matsuda nice to make your acquaintance." He helped me into a sitting position handing me the bowl of rice and the chop sticks.

"Thanks for the food, Matsuda!" I scoffed down the food as my stomach grumbled.

"I have to get back to work so I'll see you later kid, take care." With that I watched him walk out of the carriage.

Finishing up I laid back down again and tried to get some more rest.

* * *

The caravan Kojiro was now in the care of had since moved their sight to just outside a village several days out from where he had attempted to help and ended up injured, Tsuna the leader of the caravan had also hired a ninja escort/guard to help them make sure what happened wouldn't again. The former Uchiha had been asleep that entire trip and woke up on the fourth day or the first day they were in the new spot, Tsuna got the caravan back into their usual business immediately though spent ninety percent of her time looming around the injured from the attack, especially her daughter for obvious reasons of her being the worst off having nearly bled out if not for the medical attention. The majority of the children in the caravan with minor wounds were running errands for the adults.

On the side of the land of fire, Kasumi Kojiro's older sister was dealing with the fallout of her brothers' "death" and was reaching her breaking point, on the verge of snapping at some of the people trashing Kojiro after his passing. She was planning her own disappearance from the clan that involved the deaths of a few people that she deemed not worthy of living any longer after everything that happened. Her plans were coming along slowly but that was what she wanted, as there was no room for mistakes in her plan.

Kasumi spent most of the time since her younger brothers departing training her skills and using her Sharingan more often than not trying to improve herself and just gain strength in general, though only a week had passed since she had seen her brother in person she sorely missed him wondering what he was doing and hoping he was okay.

Her silky long jet black hair framed her pale complexion and just as dark cat-like eyes as she walked the streets of the large clan compound the Uchiha's had passing her distant cousins, the children saying hi to her when she passed, she feigned happiness with a smile that never reached her eyes one she had long since perfected masking her disdain and loathing for the clan with. The sky was a bright spotty cloud filled blue with an over bearing sun shining upon those in the open drying up and evaporating the recent rain they had. She walked into her family's empty home that was without the same warmth it held not too long ago in her memory, the furniture had dust on it and some of which was in need of replacements but she didn't spend time in the house so she didn't think it worth the effort to change such insignificant things, though the kitchen held a pristine look and cleanliness that the rest of the house failed to capture aside from her and her brothers rooms which she left as was, normally finding herself drifting between the bedrooms using a different one each day.

Entering the kitchen Kasumi went to the storeroom and began looking through them for ingredients, finding a sack of rice, some preserved chicken that looked like it was marked to become inedible soon, some vegetables and sauces. With the ingredients in hand she went to work doing one of the few things she still loved in her life that she did when in a dark place, often not wanting to let her prejudice bleed to innocents like children trying to keep from snapping at them, as she already had problems with snapping at "Elders" when they started trying to push her around and dictate her life. She hummed lullaby she remembered her mother singing to her when she was younger, another thing she used to keep herself in a better mood. Before beginning to cook anything she got out a chopping board and knife then cut the chicken into small chunks, then cleaned off the board and knife washing them before dicing up carrots and broccoli.

She put a few cups of rice in a pot with water to boil putting a lid on, getting out a pan out she rested it on the edge of the fire with the rice beginning to boil hanging above it, she grabbed the chicken and vegetables into the pan after quickly greasing it with a small amount of oil, and began frying them together using a spoon to move it around. After five odd minutes of frying she got the curry sauce she pulled out and measured it before putting the measured amount in and stirring it up, she then pulled the pan away from the fire from the bit and let it simmer off the heat, so she could take a minute to check the rice. The rest of the cooking went by in a flash Kasumi going on autopilot to finish, leading her to have a plate of rice and chicken curry to eat for dinner, this was what most of her afternoons consisted of, her cooking her and her family's favourite meals for herself.

As the night progressed after she cleaned up her dishes and the items she had pulled out, Kasumi went to plotting again.

_I'm going to leave on Tuesday, so I have two more days to pack what I want to bring. I want to kill Shinoe, Matasu, Nomu, Azu, Futaro and Kazuto that night, they should be asleep before nine pm so if I leave at ten that should pretty much ensure they're slumber. I'm not sure where Ko went but I want to keep tabs on him if I can and maybe one day I'll get to see him again and we can go back to what it was like when we were younger when we hung out together and lived a little more carefree, before these people got Mum and Dad killed just because Mum married a man from outside the clan, and Dad ended up being partially responsible for that old coot clan heads death._

* * *

A bloodstained Katana receded from a small body the light in the dark eyes fading with a strained gurgled choke sound as the small boy's body thumped softly against the floor lifeless his parents mangled gore and viscera was exploded against the bedroom wall, the boy's body was in the doorway with Kasumi standing over him eyes bleeding as her Sharingan whirled into an unnatural pattern a broken sounding sob escaping her mouth as she stared down at an innocent caught up in her revenge.

"I-I… I d-didn't m-mean to…" her faint sounding voice betraying her emotion as she took a step back feeling a liquid touch her feet looking down and seeing the boys blood pooling.

With a sharp breath she left the home and went to the next to continue her revenge before she left, slightly disheartened having not expected to have to deal with children, arriving at the next home she slipped in her new Sharingan pattern flaring as she made her way to her target and once she saw his face she snapped back into that seething hate she had and murdered him and his partner no longer fazed by the death of the small boy that had only been four years old to her knowledge.

Kasumi would leave the Uchiha's that night having killed twelve adults and three children. 

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**AN: **


	15. Chapter 15, Potp part 3

**AN:**

* * *

Bright sunlight, blue skies and few soft white clouds filled my vision as I opened the wooden door to the cart I'd been resting in for several days, the makeshift wooden crutch under my arm supporting me as I took laboured slow steps onto the cool green grass, it felt amazingly soft having not been allowed to go outside or walk around since waking up. The other carriages to the caravan with the one I stepped out of forming a large circle in the middle was a campfire with logs that had what looked like old blankets on them for seats, there were also futons airing out on wires strung across the area. Some of the merchants I had seen when I tried to help were walking around between the carriages and talking with one another, the kids were running around playing even some of the ones with bandaged up injuries, said kids seemed to notice me one with red hair, emerald green eyes and a small frame running up to me her voice bounded with a happiness her face reflected as she grabbed my arm pulling me off towards the others and talking.

"Hey! C'mon I gotta show you to the others! Now that you're awake and Mrs Shimizu isn't telling us off for trying to get into your carriage you can teach us how you did what you did and help us get strong like that! OH! I almost forgot I'm Chise, what's your name?" Chise continued to drag me to the gaggle of children sitting near the campfire that was in a conversation about what I could only describe from my little knowledge on the subject Economics?

"Guys! Guys! He's finally allowed out now! Aren't you…?" Her emerald eyes looked into mine as she realised she never stopped to let me say my name.

"Kojiro" Her eyes sparkle a little before turning to the other children there, a few less then the ones present when I showed up but, I imagine that's because they're with their parents.

"Wow! That's a weird name!" a few of them said ogling me with starry eyes.

"You were awesome! When we got attacked, Kumi tried to fight them off too but she got that big sword cut because of it and no one tried after until you showed up and were like 'boom' 'kapow' and 'Hya!' it was so cool to see you fight those guys you have to show us how to do that!" the three boys that were of this group started agreeing with a dark-haired girl who had stated that. Chise seemed to be nodding along as well, there was something about these kids that were probably only a few years younger than me that I couldn't help but smile and laugh along with them.

and so for the next hour, I tried my best to humour the kids showing them the Kata's my sister had shown me when I was younger, though it was hard due to my imbalance still. Ryuugi a boy with sharp eyes seemed to pick them up naturally getting the other children jealous making them ask him about it which was where I decided to leave them and wander around more, it's then whilst walking around that I got to meet the Shinobi that Tsuna had mentioned to me when I was asking her about the daily notions of the caravan. The Shinobi was a woman she was ahead or so taller than me, had brown hair tied up in a ponytail, fair skin, amber eyes and she carried a large shuriken that I had only seen once before, it collapsed down to a single blade on a ring I think Kasumi called it a "Demon Wind Shuriken" interesting name to say the least. Her name was Chizuru. It would be an understatement to say I found her pretty, she looked beautiful without a doubt in my mind though there was Kumi Tsuna's daughter that helped me I should probably focus on finding her and thanking her as well as just meeting her seeing as she never showed up while I was cooped up.

It didn't take long to find Tsuna's carriage as it was very aptly titled with the **清水 **or "Pure Water" kanji, knocking on the door softly I waited for someone to come to it staring back behind me at the camp and up to the sky, turning to the door when I heard footsteps and the door creak open with a girl my age with that same long blonde hair standing there with bandages wrapped up around her entire torso with a silk soft blue kimono that had a darker blue for the trim loosely draped on top allowing me a full view of the bandages. '_Well I wasn't expecting that'_ I turned away with a flush building making my face red, she did the same closing the door and after a minute or, so it reopened, and the kimono was done up and I could only see the bandages around her neck. She smiled trying to ignore what just happened, my face with its fading red adopted a similar smile before I was swiftly pulled inside and subsequently tripped falling onto my face with the crutch at an awkward angle.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you fall, I just got excited to see you! Mum hasn't let me leave since she found us after the Shinobi got killed." Kumi hurried to pick me up off the floor helping me into a sitting position and apologizing again.

"I-I er… Don't worry about it, I'm still getting used to the support. Right, I was here to make sure you were okay." I moved my injured leg, so it was stretched out,

"Well, of course, I'm fine! Mum just worries too much" she sounded a little like she didn't believe herself either.

"Mhmm, I'm sure that's the case. Oh, right I'm Kojiro I never did get a chance to introduce myself the first time we met, so I'm looking forward to us becoming friends from here on out!" There was something about this girl that made me feel like I was with Kasumi again and I could act a little more like myself than how I've been acting since leaving the clan.

"I'm Kumi! Also, yeah, I'd like to be friends to especially if I can rely on you to protect and help us like you did when we got attacked. Right! I almost forgot I wanted to ask you something." She nodded to herself and also raised her hand to her shoulder and rubbed it with a slightly pained expression.

"Alright that's fine, what did you want to ask me?" I watched her twiddle her thumbs for a moment as she hesitated before asking.

"A-are you some kind of Shinobi? 'cause that was the only conclusion I could come to every time I thought about what happened, you moved and fought like it was just something you did like breathing and there was a moment at the end where even though it looked like you had been knocked down you rose again to kill him not batting an eye. Though you did fall unconscious after that, so I can't blame you for that you got some nasty cuts" She said as though ignoring the fact that when I had shown up she had a rather deep cut running the length of her torso.

"I trained to be one at a point but, due to circumstances though I'm no longer doing that, I- Uh have just sorta been travelling recently and when I saw everyone being attacked something in me just sorta snapped and I wanted to help no other reason than it seemed like the right thing to do. Actually, I don't remember the end of the fight the last thing I remember was seeing you get hit and that's it" There was a gap in my memory and it was bothering me, now was a perfect time to fill it in.

"Oh, well I can tell you. So, after I got hit your eyes turned red and then suddenly you moved before the Shinobi could react and knocked him to the ground before taking his sword and killing him with it and that's it you collapsed right after that." She looked at me to see what I thought.

"Hm… alright, thanks, Kumi, you have a real help it means a lot to me." A new smile washed over my face _Red eyes? Could that be the Sharingan? And I unlocked from watching a girl I don't even know get hit! Damn it when Kasumi hears about this she's gonna tease me… or wait no I guess she won't hear about this…_

* * *

She was home, she couldn't understand why she was but from her bed, she looked through the blinds out to the blue skies and sunlight. The white sheet over her futon weighing on her making her feel warm as she curled up in the sheet head resting on the fluffy pillow. Kasumi's eyes were half open as she finally decided to get out of bed and start her day, she left the sheets standing and changing out of her blue kimono sleepwear into her favourite Kimono that was a lilac, her long silky black hair flowing down her shoulders was put into a loop bun before she went into the washroom and quickly wiped her face. Kasumi's footsteps were light as she padded through her home noticing the smell of food being cooked, the smell made an unconscious smile rise on her face making her feel happy, right as she was about to walk into the lounge of the house she noticed two familiar voices she couldn't quite place until she saw their backs. Her mothers' jet-black shoulder length hair in a low ponytail, she wore a grey kimono as she walked around the kitchen checking the food she was making. Her father with his short brown hair and navy kimono was sitting at the table in the living room facing away from her writing on a scroll, they were talking about going out somewhere for the day before her father cut himself off noticing her.

"Kasu! There's my favourite girl! I'm glad to see you up we were just talking about going out for the day on a trip just to get away and enjoy ourselves as a family seeing as we haven't been able to for a while." He turned from what he was doing smiling as he spoke to her, her mother stopped what she was doing and walked over with her arms out and hugged Kasumi in a warm embrace.

"Look at my girl all grown up! You look so beautiful dear, you're almost as tall as me now." She held Kasumi tightly chin rested on her daughters head.

"Wait, Mum, what do you mean I've grown so much? We saw each other last night…" Kasumi pulled her head back inclining it her black iris' looking into her mother's watching a solemn look overcome her mother.

"Dear… I guess you're still a child, aren't you? We're… Kasumi you know your father and I love you? So, we'd never lie to you especially not about this. Darling, we're in the afterlife. I hate that you had to come here so early but, I'm ever thankful your little brother isn't here, that might just crush me if both of you ended up here. Though we've been watching you ever since we were killed, and I know how rough it's been for you, so you can let all your emotions out now." Her mother held her tighter using her right hand to hold Kasumi's head against her shoulder.

"Wha…" Hearing what her mother said Kasumi felt the most gut-wrenching, heavy and raw amount of terror and fear bare done on her the realisation making her start to hyperventilate and mentally start trying to deny it.

_No! nonononono this can't be happening…. This can't be happening no no! this is just some kind of dream_ she was torn from her thoughts as she felt another warm body wrap itself around her and heard the soft rhythmic breathing and reassuring words from either of her parents consoling her and trying to calm her as best they could both feeling helpless as tears rolled down the pale face of their daughter.

After what felt like an eternity to Kasumi her parents slowly began pulling away from her, her father first saying "Kasu it'll be fine alright we're here for you and always will be" he moved to sit down at the table. Her mother lingered for longer whispering in her ear before letting go and moving to the kitchen saying, "Sit down and rest for a bit".

Kasumi sat leaning on her father for support has he picked up the scroll, quill and ink before petting her head and gently running his hand over her head as she lay with her head on his thigh. Not after too long Yumi her mother served up rice and miso soup, Isami her father lifted her up into a sitting position seeing how placid she'd become and watched her mechanic movements before going wide-eyed as she becomes translucent. Yumi noticed as well, both not knowing what was happening they watched in panic as their daughter disappeared before their eyes. 

* * *

She woke up choking out water as something heavy had pushed down on her chest in quick succession stopping once she turned on her side staring at the ground taking hard laboured breaths trying to figure out what was happening. After a few minutes, Kasumi looked over to a form of a person and saw a woman in a white silk kimono with dark hair bringing a sled over, that was the last thing she saw before her eyes closed and she passed out. 

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**AN: So this is a double post mostly to make up for my potentially not posting next week because of my new project taking a good portion of my time, I have up till chapter 23 or 24 finished so I'm not hurting for material to post so hopefully it'll be fine and I don't overbear myself with projects.**


	16. Chapter 16, PotP Part 4

Another week passed of being with the Shimizu caravan before I could walk around without the help of the crutch, my leg still had pangs of pain when I walked on it in certain ways but otherwise, I started running around on it and it seemed fine, so I was happy. Though I did end up teaching Kumi and the rest of the kids some of the Kata's sis taught me, so it wasn't like I wasn't having fun or anything. I really enjoyed my time with them training and whatnot, helped me take my mind off of things, I still couldn't do much chakra related the pain messing with my concentration though I was never all that great at it anyway. Which brings me to something I'd been thinking about all week and that was finding someone to help teach me through the rest of my training. Today though, today is a good day, we're going to be passing through the town I had originally been headed to so I might go and get in contact with them before deciding whether or not I stay with the merchants or try to stay with the family.

Chise, Kumi, Ryuugi and the other kids were playing around, and I was 'it' for the game of tag they were playing, I think this was their way of getting back at me for getting them to do heaps of running which is most of what they need for training at the moment so I imagine they're as annoyed as I was with sis when she would make me run twenty miles a day, ten in the morning and ten at night. But they all seemed super happy if their smiles were any guess, though my smile was just as big I couldn't control myself after all I've never had this many friend before and it's awesome to have this many people that like me and look to me for things. I can't remember a time when I was with the clan when I had any real friends beyond my cousin, but even then Nakano only really played with we because he got told to and we both knew that, after Mum and Dad passed away we never saw one another again.

I managed to get everyone fairly quickly in tag so I used that as an excuse to go and find Tsuna to tell her I was going to try and find some 'Family Friends' that lived in the village, she okayed it and let me be on my way to go and see the Houzuki family I met what feels like years ago. If I remember correctly they were originally from the Land of Water but decided to leave the rest of their clan, though I'm unsure as to why.

When I arrived at the house I thought was the one I was looking for I saw a woman with long white and blue hair with ice like blue eyes and she was wearing a lime silk kimono walking out of the door when she turned towards the path that ran by the house where I was stood having just walked up to it her eyes narrowed before brightening and she gave me a small wave as she walked over.

"I remember you! You were that Uchiha boy, I can't remember your name sadly but I'm Shobu it's nice to meet you again." I wasn't expecting her to but she hugged me as she introduced herself.

"Not to worry Shobu I had forgotten your name as well so we're the same boat, its Kojiro though for future reference. Actually, if you aren't busy could I talk to you? There's something I wanted to discuss as that's kinda the reason I'm here." Her smile was pretty infectious as I began smiling as well, Shobu put a hand to her chin for a moment thinking on it before nodding to herself.

" Well, I was about to go out and buy groceries so if you help me with that we can talk at one of the stores or even come back here to talk?" Her eyes looked me over as she spoke, I guessed she must have noticed how I was favouring one leg.

"Sure I'd be glad to help you in any way I can" I answered with a smile.

"Alright then let's go, we can talk some while we walk as well."

**88888888**

The two walked through the streets of the village past homes and caught up with one another, Kojiro avoided anything clan related that came up unless it was his sister, Shobu talked about her children and how they were doing asked Kojiro about how he had been since they last met. A half hour later after helping with the groceries the two made their way back to the house so Shobu could put it away, when they got to the house there was a boy about Kojiro's age that definitely took after his mother in appearance outside walking up a tree that was at the front of the property, Kojiro recognised him almost instantly but couldn't remember his name but didn't have to because Shobu called to him.

"Fuugetsu, I told you not to train at the font of the house!" She stated as the two walked up getting the attention of Fuugetsu who dropped from the tree immediately landing on his feet.

"Oh! Hello Mother… you look familiar... do I know you?" He said pushing his white and blue bangs out of his face as he looked to Kojiro.

"This is Kojiro, we meet him a year or so ago maybe a bit more than that. Anyhow he came here to ask me something but ended up helping with the groceries. After I finish putting this stuff away we're going to have the talk he wanted you can join if he thinks it's okay." The older woman answered for Kojiro.

"It's nice to meet you again Fuugetsu, here's to being friends, right?" Kojiro held his hand out to shake Fuugetsu's.

"Hello Kojiro, it is nice to meet you again, it would be nice to be friends, let us then." For a moment the weird way Fuugetsu spoke caught Kojiro off guard he hadn't expected him to speak almost disconnectedly, his tone was unaffected per se almost distant like there wasn't much emotion there.

"I look forward to being friends then!" Kojiro said as the two sat down at a table waiting on Shobu to finish up.

tilting his head as he looked at Kojiro Fuu spoke "Do you like cats? You remind me of one, though I'm unsure as to why… I like cats I make sure to feed all I find." There was a genuine smile across his face.

In a short-confused silence, Kojiro was taken back again before answering "I- uh… yeah I like cats there was a few back home I got to see a fair amount, also what do you mean that I remind you of one?" Fuu tapped just below his temple next to his eyes.

"The Eyes. Your eyes remind me of a cat, there's something about your face too…" Shobu sat down next to us as he finished his thought.

"I can't say I disagree with him Kojiro, you do have a cat like quality to you." The older woman smiled.

"Uh if it's okay then let's start." Getting a nod from Shobu Kojiro continued "The easiest way to put it is I exiled myself from the Uchiha with the help of my Sister, you would have met her when we came here originally her name is Kasumi, anyway after leaving the clan, that may also think I'm dead, I ended up trying to save this travelling merchant caravan and whilst recovering afterwards in their care I realised I have not got a lot of training with chakra and don't know a lot about it." He paused for a few moments before continuing.

"So after coming to this Village with that caravan I realised this would be a perfect opportunity to try and get some training from you" he looked to Shobu "Just small things like when we arrived and Fuugetsu was tree walking, I can't do that I never learned so just stuff like that or even Jutsu and whatnot." He scratched his face after finishing and looked down not really expecting much out of asking.

"Sure, I can teach you about all that Kojiro. You can stay with us too if you want!" Shobu answered laughing a little at how surprised Kojiro looked.

"Wait what?! Oh, I uh crap. Yeah, I'd love to if you'd have me."

**88888888**

One of the first things she noticed after waking was the warmth of a fire, she heard the crackling of it and the soft breathing of someone else in the room as well as clothing being rustled as someone moved. Her onyx iris' moved with her head looking to where the person she could hear was, she saw a woman in a white silk kimono with long dark hair kneeled at a table folding clothing.

She couldn't really see much so she decided to try and sit up but felt unbelievably weak with a sharp pain all throughout her back and collapsed immediately making an 'omph' noise getting the attention of the older woman who turned seeing her laying face down trapped in between the futon and the weighted sheet it made the older woman smile for a second before moving to Kasumi.

"I see you're awake now. You gave me a fair amount of trouble trying to pull you from the water, didn't help that you were like a dead weight with how limp you went though, that was probably whatever it was you hit on the way down the cliff." The woman stopped for a second remembering something important. "Oh, and you probably shouldn't try moving too much, your back took a good amount of the fall so you won't be able to walk for a while or maybe ever depending on the damage." Kasumi's saviour walked over to her and turned her around, so she was on her back, so she could breathe properly and not speak into the pillow.

"What do you mean? What happened?! The last thing I remember I was running through the woods and then… I-I s… saw Mum and Dad… wait no I woke up and was wet…?" Kasumi was slowly trying to piece things together in her mind everything not quite adding up.

"I'm not sure about what happened exactly but from where I was all I saw was you get thrown off the cliff like a ragdoll from further past the treeline than I could see and then you smashed your back on a rock the was protruding from the cliff face making you bounce rolling around before hitting the river below with a loud slap. After a moment when I realised you weren't resurfacing I dived into get you. As for you waking up wet you must have regained consciousness for a brief moment after I pulled you on shore, I've got no clue about your mother and father though that's all you." The woman turned away from Kasumi and grabbed something she couldn't quite see before turning back with a large puffy soft pillow in hand and lifted her head changing the roll for it.

"You should probably get some rest try to sleep as much as you can so your body can heal properly, oh right, before I forget my name is Keisuke Shinoa. Now get some rest we can talk again when you wake." With that Keisuke stood leaving Kasumi to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17, Reaching New Heights

**AN: Hey what's up? I'm pretty glad to say that my new project is coming along well and that progress for PWB is coming greatly as well, though with the hiccup of not working on it for a few weeks while I was doing that project I'm a little behind where I would have wanted to be. I haven't got a set date for the project yet all I can say is what its name is even then that's on my profile if anyone wants to see it, anyway on to the chapter.**

* * *

Kumi had gotten her two children to do something she hadn't made them do since they were 12 and 10, now that they were 18 and 16 she thought it would be good to do it again, so she had physical evidence of their heights, having gotten herself measured she knew she was roughly 173cm or 5'7ft, last time she checked anyway. Her main reasoning for wanting to get their heights was just that Kazumi had caught up to her and seemed like she might be the same, and Chimon was also nearly as tall as them. Though she knew she and Kazumi were quite tall anyway, with Kyousuke and Shirou being a few inches taller, she imagined that Chimon would become taller than either of her friends, so she wanted to get the heights recorded before he had another growth spurt.

"Alright Chi, just stand flat against the wall with your heels touching it the best you can, keep your back straight…" Kumi got a book and rested the spine on his head lining it up with the tape measure on the wall. "There, now you can move away, and I can see the number…170cm on the dot… so what's that…? Just about or at 5'6?" Kumi rested her chin on her hand as she thought for a second.

"Well so long as Chi stays my _little_ brother I think it's fine, me and you are taller than him Mum and we have the numbers to prove it," Kazumi said from a chair in the kitchen next to where Kumi was measuring them.

Rolling his eyes Chimon responded "I suppose so Sister but, that doesn't change smarts and ability does it? I still win 7 times out of 10 in our spars" a scowl crossed his sisters face.

"Those spars are horse crap and you know it, the only reason you win is because you have innately more raw physical strength not helped by the fact that you've been training with swords for a few years and so had to do heaps of strength stuff but, who outpaces you every single time in any agility and endurance related things? Huh? Huh? That's right your Amazing beautiful older sister!" Kazumi stood now with her arms held out as if taking praise for her brilliance after bowing.

"That's lovely you two but please move if you aren't doing anything in the kitchen I got what I needed and now you're in the way for me making my lunch." Kumi watched as her children left the room going into the next and out into the yard through one of the open doors.

Kazumi and Chimon took off into the forest racing to a familiar spot, one they hadn't been to in a few years, passing through all the thick green lush forest with the sounds of rustling branches, birds chirping and other wildlife backing them they hopped between the trees using the branches as launch pads with their chakra sending them a fair distance before needing to hop from another tree. The siblings raced like this for ten or so minutes before they broke out into a clearing before a familiar cliff face dashing up it to the top where Kazumi threw her hands in the air with a cheer "Suck it Chimon! I got her- AAH!" she was stopped mid-sentence as Chimon shoved her to the side making her stumble for a moment.

Walking to the edge on the other side from where they were Kazumi's breath was taken away and Chimon looked on in awe, they could see the forest stretching for miles with the mountains out in the ever distant background making the whole area look amazing as the blue skies filled with few small clouds stretched on. Taking a deep breath in through his nose and out his mouth Chimon closed his eyes.

"This place is beautiful, it's no wonder Hashirama and Madara wanted to make their own settlement here, it's been so long since we saw them together and hung out with them. I really wish the Senju and Uchiha would stop fighting and make some kind of truce I'm still waiting for them to create this settlement of theirs." He opened his eyes looked to his blonde hair sister as she continued to look out over the area humming in agreement.

Kazumi sat on the edge legs hanging off swinging in the breeze "Hmm… yeah… y'know what? I think next time we see either of them we should bring them here or try to coarse them into it… maybe we could split up to go collect either of them and bring them here, see if this would help them remember why they were friends." She pushed her bangs out of her face.

"I'd be for trying that, though it might be harder than you think I remember hearing not too long ago that Hashrama's younger brother killed Madara's younger brother and you know how much those two love their families, if what I heard was real then Madara likely wants Hashirama's brother dead for taking the last of his family. After all, that was the reason he had for the settlement." He sat down legs over the edge as well.

The two spent another hour or so sitting up on the cliff and walking around enjoying the area for what it was discussing things bringing up old memories with their old friends, when they realised how much time had passed Kazumi challenged her little brother to a race back to the house with 'No rules' which lead to them getting home with a fair few minor cuts and bruises catching the ire of Kumi who was thoroughly confused as to why they were all scuffed up.

* * *

Kazumi was headed to another battlefield, she wasn't with Chimon or anyone she knew, the Lord she was going to be fighting under had hired some other Shinobi but hadn't told her who they were so she was a little bothered by not knowing. She was a little interested to find out who they were, hoping there might be someone she would consider going after, her mother had kept telling her that if she wanted a partner she would have to start looking soon her reasoning being that Shinobi normally don't live that that long Kazumi and Chimon's fathers as examples they were only about 23 or 24 so using them there wasn't a huge amount of time left for her to find a partner though Kumi fully believed her children would live much longer only because what happened to their fathers were very unlikely situations for the two to experience.

When she arrived at the rendezvous point one of the first things Kazumi noticed was the smell of smoke/fire, a potent tree bark smell and about at that point was when she saw the people she was going to be working with, they had a red and white fan emblem on their clothing in varying places depending on the person, there was one of them that caught her eye, a man that looked to be a similar height to her maybe taller with long spikey hair that went down to about his knees he was directing people around and also having a conversation with a couple of people. She slowly made her way into the makeshift camp that it was, there were a few tents around with crates of weapons and such, as she got closer she felt nervous and uncomfortable getting the eyes of so many Uchiha upon her until finally the people talking to the man with long hair said something she could hear and point in her direction making the man turn towards her, Kazumi felt he looked familiar.

"Oh! You must be the one Lord Dak- Kazumi?!" he said looking to her fully seeing her long platinum blonde hair tied up in a loop bun out of the way, her seaweed green soft eyes framed by a pale complexion and partially rounded face, he noticed she wasn't wearing one of the Kimono's she normally did but rather a dark grey Shozoku that accented her curvy figure with a kunai pouch on her left thigh, a shuriken pouch on her upper right hip and she wore a Ninjato on her back.

"Uh… Do I-I know you?" she replied to the familiar man.

"Ka… Kazumi, what do you mean 'do I know you?' of course, you do, I'm Madara. I suppose I did grow my hair out, didn't I?" Madara stated brushing out his hair to the side for emphasis.

"Wait… You're Madara…?" Before Madara could reply to her he was tackled in a hug, a tight one that she held onto for an awkward amount of time.

"I'm so happy to see you! We haven't seen each other in so long!" a few tears rolled down her face and she wiped them away as she let go of him stepping back.

"I- uh didn't expect you to hug me, but yes it has been too long. How're you doing and how's Chimon? I don't see him here?" he looked around past her.

"I'm doing well, we've been doing missions like this for the last three to four years, but on the note of Chi he's doing a separate job though it sounded like it might be close to here" Kazumi was calm even relaxed now, getting to see her friend had put her in a good mood.

"If we're asking about brothers, where's Izuna?" Kazumi asked, as she did she remembered what Chimon had told her the week before when they were on the mountain.

"Oh, ah he passed away…" Madara said solemnly.

"I'm sorry for your loss, I didn't mean to bring something like that up, sorry." She said bowing.

"Don't worry about it, Izuna is still with me even if he's dead here" he said tapping his temple next to his eyes.

"Right, he'll always be in your mind and heart a place he can never leave." Kazumi smiled in reply.

After the conversation Madara got down to business and informed Kazumi of what they were doing and warned her of the danger who they might be fighting, they were to be trying to make a move into Lady Ayako's territory for Lord Dakoto who had been quarrelling with Lady Ayako over farm space for either of their peoples who we're experiencing a food shortage and needed more farmlands. The Uchiha that had been hired had already been fighting the Shinobi hired by Ayako for a few days and a large problem they were having was that the Shinobi were being traded out each day so it was a new group each day making it difficult for them to pin the strength of the other force leading to a common annoyance across those present of the Uchiha as well as a few being chakra exhausted from a mystery clan that showed up the day before Kazumi arrived the mystery clan had been doing huge water Jutsu that the Uchiha weren't able to combat having nearly lost a few people.

The day was rearing into afternoon before Madara called everyone together that wasn't unable to fight and started to plan the next plan of attack, Madara himself was going to use something he had been saving for a while as a trump card and everyone else was supposed to be acting as back up or defending him while he made a charge for the frontline with his Trump Card. Kazumi was going to be apart of the group defending him in the charge to the frontline, she was wary about using her Sharingan and decided it was probably for the best not to use it and maybe just wait until another time to show Madara in private or something similar. She had started relying on it more recently as well so it was going to be hard for her not to use it, especially for the fight they were going to be heading into at mid-afternoon.

* * *

I took a deep breath as I looked out over the sea of black hair and the same high collar shirt with a similarly dark cuirass, I checked my pouches to make sure I had a full stock of kunai and shuriken as well as swung my Ninjato a few times to make sure my arm wasn't feeling stiff, after that I started doing some minor stretching just keep my body loose and hopefully prevent tension in my muscles. I had two Uchiha either side of me a man and woman to my left and two men to my right, just ahead of us were two more men then it was Madara his Sharingan blazing and an unfamiliar pattern spinning to life as he turned towards the no man's land in front of us where we could see Shinobi standing guard on the other side with weapons waiting for our attack, then with the simple motion of raising his hand then bringing it down slicing through the air we charged Madara hand readying on his Gunbai.

I don't think I had seen anything more terrifying and beautiful in my entire life, the way it burst into life an amazing blue aura forming a skeletal ribcage around Madara before it formed the upper body of some kind of spectral being with four arms and swords in each, and then the Jutsu began flying and I watched as the team that was on my left slammed into a chunk of earth that flung up into them splattering them instantly into a bloody mist, I heard shouts as explosions caused by Jutsu came up around us throwing me to the ground and doing something to my hearing, all I could hear was a ringing that went on for a bit as I tried to drag myself to my feet.

kneeling on my right leg I began to stand only to be knocked around again when I saw a man running at me, in one swift motion I pulled a hand full of shuriken and threw them, they went on a direct path for him only to be hit out of the way by another. As the two men wearing blue clothing with red and green armour were running up to me the ethereal giant blue sword slashed them in two earning horrified screams as Madara swatted tens of Shinobi away and churned up the ground running the footing in the area it was at that point a tree grew up out of the ground slamming into the Blue carapace of Madara's Trump Card throwing him into the air dissipating the body, right as another set of enormous tree trunks were about to smash into him an entire body formed at least twenty feet in height, it caught the trunks and slashed them breaking them allowing Madara to push. I couldn't help but watch on in awe and terror and the sheer scale of the fight before me it was unbelievable.

If it weren't for my Sharingan I would have missed the timing on dodging a huge water dragon that ploughed into the rock next to me shattering it, I caught a glimpse of the attacker and froze, so did he.

"Kazumi…?" a boy with white hair and blue edging to it said as he looked upon me. 

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**AN: Right again shilling my new project for whatever audience I can garner for it, it's called "A Vagabond In Death" for the most part the MC is self insert but not entirely. With that out of the way thank you for reading and leave a review if you would so kindly.**


	18. Chapter 18, The Pain of Knowing

**AN:**

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Her eyes may have been flaring that Sharingan red, but I knew the moment my gaze washed over her that it was Kazumi, she seemed stunned and confused which she had the right to be I just unknowingly shot a water dragon off at her before she got a look at me. '_So, she ended up with the Uchiha then? I guess that makes sense I ended up with Hashirama and his brother Tobirama, I guess despite our best efforts we were forced to play a role in this squabble between the clans. This whole thing is stupid I should just grab Kazumi and leave.'_ As I moved to my sisters side to help her up the Earth around us began to rumble and tremor right before a huge shockwave with an intense heat threw us away tumbling, right as it hit she had pulled me into her chest and tried to act as cover so I wouldn't get hurt causing her to get a fair few more bruises and scrapes. '_I suppose you still are my big sister, then aren't you? Trying to keep me from getting hurt when you already are only to become more hurt. Dear, Sister why is it you value my life more than your own or even value them both the same amount, you knew full well I could have just turned into water to avoid the attack.'_

As she left me to go and we both stood her hair now flowing out wildly around us as it had come undone in the blast, we were both covered in dirt and grime clothing was torn though those things seem irrelevant as we watched a behemoth of a wooden golem? Fight on equal grounds with whatever the ethereal blue being Madara was in, the blue construct slowly began to become more detailed in its transformation before finally becoming mountainous in size it… was immeasurably impossible to wrap my head around. It seemed that way for Kazu too she was stunned her Sharingan still on watching the insane battle before us though who could blame us the rest of the combatants on the field watched the titans fight like something I could only akin to gods. It was like watching Sussano-o no Mikoto's battle with Yamata no Orochi.

"Sussano-o" I breathed out earning my sisters attention.

"What does he have to do with this Chimon?" she said as we braced ourselves for another shockwave.

"That's what we should call it… Sussano-o it's like watching him fight Orochi from that tale we heard at the Shrine when we were with Mother for Father's birthday." She nodded slowly looking back up at the Sword as it carved its way through the land right through the construct sending out a blue wave that in the distance I saw a mountain top become detached and go off the side.

"Fuck…" this was out of our league, how could to humans possible reach this point?

"I guess that makes the blade Totsuka no Tsurugi?" Kazumi asked from my left.

"Yeah guess it does…" I'm unsure if she saw it or not but right then a chunk of the earth was flying down upon us, I grabbed her by the waist and leapt as far as I could off to our right.

The dust settled and with wide eyes, we both viewed the chunk of Earth that almost crushed us, I decided it was time to leave this battle it was unsafe for us anymore. I grabbed my sister once more by the waist and slung her over my shoulder, she was taller than me, but it didn't matter much, she also didn't really fight it watching the battle continue as we left heading in the direction of where I assumed the Uchiha camp was which reminded me. "Kazumi Sharingan off now!" I felt her nod as I assumed she stopped using it. We continued for a while even after running for what felt like ten minutes we could still see the fight though it seemed to have died down and the Sussano-o was smaller, and the wood construct seemed to be replaced by the trunks being thrown around again. I got us to one of the tallest trees in the area and took us up it to watch from a distance, setting Sis down her Sharingan blazed again to try and view the fight but it seemed like it had stopped entirely all that was left was Earth churned up and destroyed around a group of people and rock around as it got closer to the people.

_I don't think this will stop not for a long time they seem to hate each other more than Hashirama lead on when I talked to him, if he still liked Madara as much as he said why then did he fight back on such a level with as much intent to kill why not stay on the defence and try to get him to talk?_

"I see what you meant now, Chi. I-I don't think they'll be friends anytime soon…" she sounded crushed and defeated, it hurt to hear her like that she was always meant to be the optimistic one, the one with a pep in her step and a smile on her face.

"No." I stated blandly.

"No?" she replied sounding confused with tears threatening to roll down her face.

"No." I reaffirmed.

"They can still be friends I think, Hashirama seemed like he was against killing Madara if we ran into him when I spoke to him. In fact, he said he hated the war with the Uchihas a lot, that he just wanted his friends back." I gave a smile that I knew didn't reach my eyes and she probably knew it too but it was for her sake.

"I believe you.." she leaned on me as we sat on the branch of the tree, I put my arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug.

Huffing a laugh she spoke, "Thanks Chi, I needed that." I gave her a smile before sighing and thinking of what was next on our plate.

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Wounds of the heart never heal quite right, it is a simple fact of life that some understand and others blow off allowing themselves to wallow in that lingering pain instead of pushing through it and using it as motivation, Chikara liked to imagine she was the former, she realised it was some kind of petty crush caused by the boy having simple qualities she favoured but, she had still been crushed when hearing about what happened she woke in a closet after a servant of Kuranosuke had come to collect something from it. The only memory she had was the words of the boy she had crushed on "_I'm really sorry about this_" is what he had said right before she was knocked unconscious, she probably shouldn't have let her guard down around him but she felt she could trust him and if his words were to be believed then he didn't want to do it but had to.

_'Ugh, I shouldn't be thinking like that it's been two years anyway, so it's not like even if I found him some how he would remember me… that and I might punch his face in for making me miss the pay and knocking me out, even if he was sorry it still hurt a lot.'_ She thought as she travelled down a street in a town she was in while on her way back home.

The street had few people on it, merchants and store workers with stalls and such set up trying to get the attention of passers-by, the sun was hidden behind grey clouds that seemed to have rain on their minds. Among the monotony of the dark-haired townsfolk she noticed two people with a stark difference in colour, a woman with platinum blonde hair and a man(a boy in his late teens maybe?) with white hair and a faint blue hue to it, these two were rather tall they wore dark Shozoku pants with the woman wearing a white top with the shirt of Shozoku down tied up around her waist, the Man wore his Shozoku in full neither of them had weapons on them from what Chikara could see nor were they wearing masks.

Chikara decided it was worth following them for a bit at a distance while enhancing her hearing to hear their conversation, she normally didn't like eavesdropping on people but something seemed familiar about them.

"C'mon Chi you've gotta start looking for a partner soon, Mum expects grandkids at some point so you gotta put your foot forward and start." The woman spoke, Chikara assumed they might be siblings maybe adopted?

"Right, and what excludes you from finding your own partner and having Kids, sister. You don't seem to be rushing to find a partner nor have children. Besides I haven't found any women I am interested in pursuing." The man spoke, Chikara suddenly found herself feeling awkward about listening in on them.

"I-I Uh… I just haven't met anyone myself… but what about you? There was that girl a few years ago wasn't there? The one with red hair?" The woman said putting her hands behind her head and looking to the sky.

"Oh her… I had forgotten about that entirely, to be honest sister, but yes, she was rather pretty I can't remember her name though, Chi- Churanko? No that's definitely not it, Chu-hm Nah." He sounded a little distant as he spoke.

"You mean Chikara? Or at least I think that was her name can't remember her surname though that's lost on me" His sister replied. Chikara nearly tripped stumbling slightly after hearing what she did, unsure if this may have been who she was looking for, she had a large problem with it and that was that she didn't remember what he looked like.

"Chikara, huh? I like the sound of that it's nice, but why do you remember it Kazu?" he looked at her quizzically.

"Because that joke I made still makes me laugh to this day, that and it was so obvious that she liked the look of you and I haven't seen a look like that on your face since that was too good." She laughed to herself as her brother looked at her with his eye brow raised.

"Hey Sis?" he asked sounding a little more serious getting the attention of his sister.

"Yes dear Little Brother what is it you need of your beautiful older sister?" she asked still playing off the laugh she had at his expense.

"I believe we have made a wrong turn and that we should go through the alley to get back on track." He stated it autonomously as he steered them that direction.

Chikara followed suit keeping a five to ten-metre distance as the two left the crowd down the alley, she followed curiosity getting the better of her but when she looked down it they were gone and after getting rather deep into the alley she heard something before turning and seeing a Kunai pointed at her throat. Green eyes like seaweed looking into hers, blonde hair flowing in the slight breeze, she heard steps behind her she assumed it was the man.

"Why're you following us?" the blonde woman asked simply

"Uh… I-I thought you looked familiar so I wanted to see who you were!" she pleaded.

Hearing a sigh from behind her the man spoke "It's fine Kazumi, she's just a civilian as far as I can tell. I'm really sorry about this" _I'm really sorry about this _the words played over in her head again before she finally clicked as to who these people where.

"Wait! You're Akemi and Shizuo!" she announced eyes brightly at having figured it out.

"Uh, are you stupid did you not just hear my brother say Kazumi when talking to me? Cause my name's not Akemi." Kazumi replied.

"Wait… Akemi and Shizuo… weren't those the fake names we used in on that job we were just talking about? The one with Chikara… that's you isn't it?" Chikara turned to him Kazumi having lowered the knife.

"Yes, that is me, you… _ASSHOLE!_" her fist impacted on his face sending him back into the dirt kicking up dust at which point Kazumi restrained her and asked Chimon if he was okay.

"Yeah I'm fine don't worry" 

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**AN:**


	19. Chapter 19, Family Antics

**AN:**

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_I'm glad that he's showing heaps of emotion and has diminished his apathy but trusting this girl probably wasn't one of his smartest moves, it's kinda cute in an 'oh he had a crush' way but he has to realize that he knocked her out and was the cause for her not getting paid._

With a sigh I looked at my little brother scratch his cheek after getting up of the ground from being punched, his white mop swayed as he moved and he brushed the dirt off his clothing straightening his shirt before looking to Chikara who was still in my armlock, she wore a look that suggested she hadn't intended to punch Chimon but that was just an impulse from it. I'd say I feel bad for her in a way but that'd be lying, if anything this whole thing could've been avoided had he just killed her, though to be fair I only killed that guy because he was getting on my nerves and it was an easy way to not have to deal with it, but then again he does show a lot of emotion when it comes to the sanctity of peoples lives, I long since stopped caring about that while we're doing jobs.

"You want me to let her go to punch you again Chimon? Maybe the next one will help you realize trusting people immediately is a bad idea" _I know, I know I'm a cynical asshole but still._

"Ah, sorry about that, yeah probably should have thought that through a little better." He looked apprehensive before clearing his throat.

"So Chikara, I know you said you were following us because you seemed to think you know us but was there anything past that? Or was the punching me in the face not part of your original plan?" he asked looking at the girl in my arms, I guessed she couldn't be much older than me.

"I-I No! that wasn't it! I had planned to confront you and ask about it and well maybe…" she trailed off face going a little red, she must still have had a crush on Chimon.

"Is that right? Well, I suppose that's fair, following us probably wasn't the best way to go about confronting us though" I answered.

"Well… if you aren't going to attack again and you only wanted to talk then we can let you be on your way." Chi said looking at the dishevelled girl.

"That's fine with me I kinda wanted to get home before the day was out but, this has sorta halted those plans," I responded to him, letting the girl go, she was shorter than me and Chimon, I noticed now maybe half a head shorter than him.

I sighed as the red hair of the girl swayed when she stepped away she looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't muster the confidence to say anything, Chikara waited for a moment before walking away from us as she did she stopped for a moment like she found confidence and right before she left the alley I decided to call to her to help her out a little.

"Hey, Chikara!" I said getting her to turn towards us.

"If you have something to say, please for the love of all the Kami, Youkai, Oni and everything else under the sun say it and if you can't I'm going to drag you with us home, so we can sit you down to talk." She didn't seem to know how to respond to that, neither did Chimon it seemed his face morphed into something of confusion and realisation.

"I-I U-Uh…" she stood there a little dumbfounded.

"Too late you're coming home with us!" the wicked smile forming on my face was rather hard to keep at bay "Now, if your Chimon's _girlfriend _then we'll have to introduce you to Mum as soon as possible! She's gonna be so happy her baby boy is finally growing up!" Chikara was spluttering and stuttering while Chimon was doing something similar but with a glare.

"Oh! I just can't wait to get to know you, Sis! I'm sure you make a great Little Sister!" I said grabbing them both and pulling them into a hug before taking a hand of either of them and then racing off with them trailing behind as I headed for the house.

With that my smile was fully formed and I giggled like a child playing with their favourite toy as I dragged them through the street earning all sorts of looks from people as they stepped out of my way, swerving about people ducking and dodging others as the two stumbled around scuffing up dirt was probably the most fun I had in a while.

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I hadn't expected Kazumi to burst into the house and announce they were home from their mission, I also hadn't expected her to be dragging Chimon and a redheaded girl who both of which fell on into the genkan the girl on top of Chimon with him making pained noises and Kazu standing in front of them with a very bright and mischievous smile. Walking into the genkan to fully see the situation I watched as Kazu slipped her sandals off and stepped to where I was at the doorframe leaving Chi and the girl to fumble around and stand up, they were both flushed I imagine from running or something like that, though the more I looked maybe they were blushing?

"Hi, Mum!" Kazumi said pulling me into a hug as I watched the two over her shoulder.

"Hello Kazu, Chi and who might you be?" the girl spluttered for a moment trying to get her composure back.

"Ch-Chikara," she said bowing.

"We have two Chi's then do we? It's nice to meet you Chikara, I'm Kumi Shimizu, but please call me Kumi." Kazumi moved to stand next to me wearing a sweet smile one that would declare innocence in the matter before us.

"Hello Mother, how're you? and I'm sorry about this Kazumi decided she had a plan." He said straightening his clothing out.

"So Chikara, how do you know Chi and Kazu?" Chikara was about to respond but Chimon cut in.

"We met her a few years ago on a job, you remember the one, don't you? And as for today, she thought she recognised us and confronted us after a misunderstanding that ended up leading to Kazu dragging us all the way here." He said neatly.

"Oh! Was the girl you liked?" I said full well knowing what would happen.

Chimon's face became slightly red and Chikara's did as well, Kazumi was laughing to herself. "I-I a-ah Yes she is…" his stuttering warmed my heart it was so adorable to see him like this.

"Well if you plan on staying for a bit Chikara you can all come in and sit at the table in the lounge or maybe the table outside in the garden? Oh! Before I forget Shirou and Shinpachirou are here outside so you two" I point two Kazu and Chi "Aught to go say hello and talk to them, anyway go on you lot I'm going to go make some food and something to drink." I ushered the three through the house outside to where a Pregnant Shirou was currently throwing kunai…

_Right_.

stepping away from the door I walked into the kitchen and began preparing drinks for everyone and got the food I had already prepared out, they were varying club sandwiches, after making the drinks I grabbed the large platter that held them on it and walked them outside and handed them to everyone, Sake for Shinpachirou, myself and Kazu, water for everyone else. I went back inside and put the platter away and picked up the one with the sandwiches on it and went back out setting it down on a large table that was sat under one of the sakura trees, by this point Chikara had made her awkward introduction and everyone moved to the table.

The afternoon continued as I had initially planned for when I invited Shirou and 'Pachi, we drank and talked, reminisced about things from when we were younger, we discussed baby names helping the two come to a conclusion. They decided it was Akatsuki if it was a girl and Ena if it was a boy, their kid was going to have Shirou's last name Fukami.

"'New dawn' and 'Gift from god', huh? Those are pretty good." I commented.

"It's not like you have much room to speak Miss 'Beautiful Pure Water' or even your Daughter's name 'Pure Water's Harmony' or your son's name 'Pure Water's Wisdom' what was your nickname for him again? Puddle of Wisdom?" Shirou started laughing and even doubled over.

"Sorry about this" Shipachirou said bowing his head.

"It's fine she's done this a few times beforehand, she might have gotten some Sake in her cup when we weren't looking." I sighed.

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**AN: Hello again, I'm probably going to take a break for a while with this chapter out now, most of the reason is because I've had some issues with actually writing much of anything after having given myself a sort of fatigue to writing from drilling it into every inch of spare time I had for a month or two straight. I should be posting again in like a month or two like the usual break.**


	20. Chapter 20, Volume 2 end

**AN: Alright I want to say this now and get it out of the way, I'm changing up the schedule for this story and when I post chapters, so it'll go from the old one a week for four weeks then breaks to One chapter a month because I'm not working on it as much as I used to and so I'd rather not get to a point where I have to put it on hiatus every other chapter because I haven't got anything. Also sorry in advance for such short chapters for what there is, I do plan on making them longer when I return to the story and aren't distracted by life stuff.**

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The dragon snaked up out of the river moving from side to side before finally launching at astonishing speeds slamming into Kazumi at full force throwing her off her feet and dragging her through the now muddy ground, as she was recovering from the Jutsu she was hit by a water bullet knocking her again. Chimon stood on the river as it settled from all the disruptions via his Jutsu, he waited for his sister to recover and actually become ready before deciding what to do next. Dragging herself into a fighting stance her Sharingan blazed to life and right as Chimon was about to do another Jutsu she built up an enormous amount of chakra to try and replicate something she'd seen Madara do.

"_Majestic Destroyer Flame!_" she breathed out a giant wall of flame at her brother forcing him to sink into the water to avoid immediate harm.

"H-Holy Shit!" Chimon's voice came from off to Kazumi's side after the flame dispersed.

Kazumi smirked at him victoriously before collapsing from the fatigue brought on by the Jutsu from all the chakra she expended, Chimon caught her before her head hit the ground, he sighed before moving his sister into the bridal carrying position so he could support her properly for a moment before setting her down on the ground. She was out unconscious, Chimon looked at her one last time before quickly dashing around the area picking up the shuriken and kunai they had used in the spar. Once he finished he went back to his still sleeping sister and made it so her arms were hanging over his chest with her head rested on his neck and held her legs under his arms with his hands holding her knee-pits. It took him roughly twenty odd minutes to make it home running at a comfortable pace for carrying someone.

Arriving home in the backyard Kumi was gardening, specifically weeding and watering, she noticed him as he walked across the large yard and turned to say hello seeing his sister on his back she decidedly ignored her immediate reaction to rush over and see what was wrong, instead asked him to just set her down in her bed for the time being before she went back to gardening. Chimon did as such, it was becoming increasingly more common for his sister to have chakra exhaustion even during their spars so she had stopped taking jobs on her own, Chi had made it very clear to his older sister that if she was going to go on any jobs that he or someone trustworthy like their aunts or uncle to go with her because she might just collapse in the middle of a battle and die that way. It had become an increasing concern for them, especially with how left field it had been she was just progressively taking longer to be recovered and shorter amounts of time for her to become exhausted again.

Their mother had outright stated if she wasn't any healthier after six months to a year then she would do something about it herself such as barring her from using chakra in general and finding her an arranged marriage so she would be tied down and make sure she kept away from Shinobi life. Kumi had made such a big threat of it that she had even gotten her own mother, the kids' grandmother to come in and take a look at her to diagnose Kazumi herself as the best most experienced doctor of any kind she knew, that also happened to be the first time Tsuna met Kazumi and Chimon and vice versa. The whole situation with their grandmother arriving had confused Chimon more than normal as he already often confused his mother and sister so when there was another similar blonde in the mix he was stuck for words and thoroughly confused.

Anyhow, Tsuna's verdict was that whatever was cause the fatigue was only going to get worse and might eventually outweigh Kazumi's rate at which she recovers but that was several years off at this point.

Chimon laid his sister down on her bed before spending a minute going through her dresser to get one of her kimono's out, spent a few minutes changing her from the shozoku she was wearing to the dark kimono. After that he pulled the sheet over her unconscious form and left the room going to his own and started to put his equipment away, he undressed his shozoku letting him see his chest, he looked down at a large scar that was just under his sternum. Gently he ran his fingers over it remembering the day he got it.

_He was fighting a samurai who wore full armour, they were at a stalemate with Chimon running low on chakra and not wanting to use it just in case it pushed him overboard. The samurai raised his katana above his head for his killing blow on Chimon who had his in the sheath hand on the handle ready to dodge then strike, the samurai moved bringing the sword down as Chimon moved into his range and dodged to his left but right as he was going to strike he felt an excruciating pain in his back travel through his abdomen out to his front side. He looked down at the Nagitana blade through his sternum with wide eyes he transformed into water and got away from them before transforming again and striking the two samurai at the same time with one attack, it pulled itself right through the armour bisecting the two men, panting heavily he tried his best to stay standing and slowly walked hand over his wound until he collapsed somewhere and woke up in a bed._

dismissing the memory he moved to put on his own cobalt blue kimono, running a hand through his mop of shoulder-length hair he takes a moment to let his thoughts flow for a bit.

_'I think Kazu needs to stop being a Shinobi… I think it's finally time to for her to settle down and find someone, I know Mum has been telling us to find someone for a while and ever since Kazu basically kidnapped Chikara that time Mum has been on our cases about it more, Chikara and I are together now sure but what of Kazu? Why doesn't she find someone? I love her to death but, sometimes I feel like it's her who might be emotionally stunted in areas. This Chakra Exhaustion thing is getting out of hand and I don't want to lose her, I might try to convince her to quit being a Shinobi, maybe if I tell her if she stops I'll no longer be one either maybe we could use it to try to do something about Madara and Hashirama… who knows maybe it's a fool's errand.'_

he sat down on his bed while he thought about the situation for a bit longer.

**8888888**

Later that afternoon Chimon was wandering through the streets of the town they lived in when he spotted Chikara, it had been over a month since the two had gotten together and roughly two or so months since the incident where she had followed him and Kazumi. Chikara seemed to be in the midst of grocery shopping, Chimon walked over to her.

"Hey 'Kara, how're you doing? Need any help?" he asked with an amused look when she jumped slightly.

"Oh! Hello Chi, I'm doing good, and yes it would be nice if you could carry this stuff for me." She handed the basket she held to him.

"C'mon then let's continue," Chikara said taking lead of the situation.

As the two strolled around they made small talk and mostly just caught up with one another having not seen one another in a week or so, as they walked from stall to stall in the marketplace Chikara handed what she brought off to Chimon for the basket. This went on for another twenty minutes before Chikara collected everything she needed and then they began the walk to her home.

Her home was a small three-room house not counting the Kitchen/store room, laundry room, toilet and bathroom. Her living room was big enough that it seated four people and the other two rooms were bedrooms with futons set up in either, Chimon placed the basket in the storeroom and began putting the food away and started on preserving foods that need it. After he was done with that he moved into the living room where Chikara was currently sitting at the table she had with a blanket over it, it had been a cooler day than most for Fire Country, he sat down across from her putting his lower half under the blanket as well. Not after too long they both leaned forward using their arms as a pillow while lying on the table, they sat on a comfortable silence for quite sometime before falling asleep, Chimon because he was still tired from his spar with his older sister and Chikara just found it easy to sleep anywhere.

'Kara woke up first between them and noticed as such, she stretched her arms up, leaned back putting pressure into her spine making it audibly click and she let a breath of ecstasy through because of how it felt. Standing up she stretched more before moving to the kitchen to make something warm to drink, she wasn't much of a fan of tea despite how often the Shimizu's had it, so instead, she made some coffee. There was something about the bitter taste she preferred over the teas she had tasted, she moved to pull out two cups in case Chimon woke soon. 

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**AN: Again sorry for the short chapter it's just that I wrote these like months ago at this point and have just been meaning to get them out and refine other ones. Have a good one and see you in a Months time.**


	21. Chapter 21, Less Chakra More Family

**AN: So another change of plans right, because the story is at the point where the end is within throwing distance, I've decided just to post these whenever I update my other story and seeing as I updated it earlier now is the time. though I suppose that does still mean that there's a month between chapters.**

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I raised my foot up into the air as I jumped and brought it down in an axe kick slamming it into the water disturbing it and making water fly up everywhere the Shinobi I was aiming for dodged, as the rain of the water bled out Chimon emerged from the water forming and before our opponent could counterattack Chimon's hands raced through the once far too many hand seals for combat that he'd knocked down to four and two enormous water dragons came up from the water and snaked forward with amazing speed smashing into the Shinobi sending him into a tree with enough force to crack the trunk with an audible _thwack_ immediately rendering the man unconscious. He was soaked to the bone and had blood covering his face from a head injury. As Chimon and I approached the Shinobi he stopped me for a moment putting a hand out in front of me.

"Are you good on Chakra, Kazumi? If you're not we're getting this guy and leaving." He said caringly though there was a firmness to it as well.

"Yes, little brother!" I droned dryly "I'm not that low maybe slightly tired but that's from lack of sleep recently with that last mission, otherwise I'm fine I should be good for our next target." I rolled my eyes at him as I turned away pushing his arm away from me.

With a resigned sigh I watched him walk over to the tree he had caused him to slam into and bound the man's ankles and wrists, then Chimon picked him up and threw him over his shoulder and we began our trek back to our employer. He had paid us to and I quote 'Go and capture that traitors head, however, you see fit! So long as he is able to speak and live long enough for an interrogation I don't care what you do with that swine!' he was rather nice to give us that much freedom but I think we ended up taking it more because the Senju Uchiha battles were getting insanely out of control and neither of us really wanted to be near that right now let alone the fact that Mum and Chi have been treating me like glass for the last five or so months, though I think it might be something more like eight months. Which means I still have four months for this chakra sickness I seem to have to disappear or I'll be stuck being a civilian… it'll be really hard to try and reach that peace I wanted if I can't even do menial chakra related activities.

It didn't take too long for us to arrive at the residence of the Lord who hired us, his home was a large estate filled with servants and his family that seemed all too fond of leaving him at any given moment they could. As such that happened the moment they saw an opening when we came in the door of the main building of the estate, he was talking to his wife and the moment she noticed us behind him her eye glinted before she excused herself mid-conversation listening to him drone on about something I didn't hear. Though I could read lips pretty well I read hers as she left 'finally I can leave that buffoon' she seemed to say to herself walking off into a hallway.

After confirming the guy we nabbed was the target, our employer-paid us and we were on our way to the next target we had for a different Noble that wanted us to track down and kill someone, a woman named Shobu, who was around about fifty years old and apparently she was an old Kunoichi who's family worked for him for a long time but suddenly stopped and them stopping caused a whole bunch of trouble for him and he's been trying to find him for the last fifteen to sixteen years. Where come in is that she made an appearance recently and he saw her but wasn't able to do anything, therefore, hired some Shinobi or rather us. I was the one that actually sat in on the Job details and heard what the woman looked like and she sounded a little familiar, like a certain person close to me who I to be quite honest just want to mess with when we finally meet her/track her down.

I felt a little off before we left, my chakra felt a little low but I assumed it would be fine we were only travelling and we'd be stopping at night and continuing in the morning anyway so I should be able to hold out until then. When I woke up that next day in the inn we were at it seemed to be late morning which confused me because Chimon and I had agreed to set out early to mid-morning but, that's when it hit me, Chimon was giving me more time for me to recover from the day before. I could have been mad that's how I felt initially anyway but I decided that I'd leave it be, He was my little brother and he loved me and so he just wanted me to be safe and cared for in any situation he could. I groaned mentally for a moment _'Little Brother will you be like this even when I finally find a partner? 'cause then we might have a problem'_ I thought to myself going and getting ready to leave. Chimon was waiting for me outside the inn when I came down and gave me a smile before he started walking, we walked until we were out of the little set of builds next to the road we were on then shot off in the forest and ran for quite a while.

It was turning out to be a rather warm day as the day when on, we made it to the town that Shobu supposedly lived in around mid-afternoon and decided just to go straight to her home or where we're told she lived. The sun shining brightly as it made its way slowly to the horizon baulked in the cloudless sky as a light breeze blew around rustling bushes and tree leaves. The house we approached seemed to be rather old but well kept and had a large flower bed out the front where a woman was, she was kneeled over the flowerbed her white and blue hair tied up in a high ponytail with her salmon pink kimono's arms pulled up and the same with the lower half pulled up to the woman's knees where she knelt. She seemed to notice us as we approached but what I found more fascinating was the look of confusion on Chimons face as he saw the woman who he seemed to vaguely resemble.

The woman turned fully as she stood looking to us before speaking "Fuugetsu! Kumi!" she said a tear-filled look on her face.

**8888888**

Before they could react the woman was in front of them arms around the both of them holding in a death grip for a hug like she thought if she let go they'd disappear, Kazumi shrugged at Chimon when he gave her a glare and hugged the woman back, Chimon did so eventually as well. After a minute went by Shobu stopped holding them and stepped back looking them over which was when Kazumi spoke up.

"Sorry to disappoint you but we aren't Mum and Chi's Dad," she said pointing her thumb in her direction "I'm Kazumi Shimizu and this is Chimon Shimizu."

"Wait… No, yes you are right, aren't you? Kumi and Fuugetsu would be something near just under forty and you two must be nearly twenty if I had to make a guess, right so you said you were Kumi's children but only your Brother is Fuu's son?" she asked Kazumi wiping the tears from earlier.

"Yeah, My dad's name was Kojiro" Kazumi stated.

"The dark-haired boy? Why I haven't seen him in years… How's he doing? For that matter how is Fuu and Kumi?" Shobu asked.

"Err… I'm sorry to say but Fuugetsu and Kojiro both died and Mum is doing relatively well she's working again, which is pretty good for her because she stopped working to take care of us." Kazumi answered.

Chimon cut in before Shobu could speak "Wait w-what the fuck is going here?! Kazu you said we were going to our next target! And now we're here talking to our apparently long-lost grandmother! I'm so confused where is our target and who are they exactly?" Chimon stated angrily.

"Target? What do you two mean?" Shobu asked forgetting what she was going to say earlier.

"So uh… Shobu… we're Shinobi and some Lord hired us to kill someone who ruined his life forever ago and when he gave me that description and name I figured out who you were and decided that it would be the perfect time to meet our long lost grandmother who was also apparently our target of a job I planned on ditching the moment I realised who you were." Kazumi stated.

"…" Chimon stood silently for a few minutes.

"Well that is rather awkward isn't dear, how about you two come inside and I can make you something to drink and eat" Shobu headed into the house as Kazumi grabbed her brother by the arm and dragged him into the house with them.

Following into the house Shobu disappeared into the kitchen and Kazumi sat her brother down at a the table in what she assumed was the lounge, Chimon seemed to be still taking in the fact the two only having met their other grandmother within the same year. Looking around the room Kazumi noted there was a small cabinet in the corner next to a screen door she assumed went into the backyard, the house seemed to be made to fit five or maybe seven people total with how large it was.

_'Though if she were a Shinobi then that would make sense she's probably pretty well-off despite probably not having worked for ten or so years. Maybe we can get her to show us some Jutsu and stuff? Or if she's Chimon's Dads, Mum then she might be able to teach him all about the Hydrification Jutsu because he can only turn into a puddle of water at this point, I wonder if there's a form of it where he keeps his form, but his body is water? I'll definitely ask at some point.' _Kazumi thought to herself as they idly waited for the older woman to return.

Shobu returned with tea setting it down on the table before seating herself and looking to the siblings expectantly, they both took a cup with thanks and began sipping from it as Shobu began to speak to them again.

"So dear you said that your father was Kojiro, correct?" Kazumi nodded "Well I can't say I didn't like the boy he was wonderful and cherry, smiled often and laughed a lot. He came to me… oh he must have been fourteen at the time and asked if I could train him because he was exiled from his clan or something similar, anyway I ended up adopting him into our family essentially. He and Fuugetsu got on quite well so I can't say it was bad choice, he was great to have around." She sipped away at her own cup waiting to hear what her apparent grandchildren had to say.

The conversation went on like this for another few hours, wherein mostly Shobu spoke about their fathers and her memories of them and their mother. She also mentioned maybe training Chimon to his surprise and Kazumi's delight, the two would end up staying that night and leaving the next morning with the promise of coming back soon with their mother, as they left the sky began to darken ever so slightly.

**8888888**

It was raining when Chimon and I walked into the genkan and put our shoes away, the sky had been pretty dark and drab, there had been light rain early this morning but as we got closer to home it got heavier until we were totally soaked by it. With our clothing drenched, bodies soaked, and spirits wet we stood in the genkan and waited to dry off enough before heading into the house, keeping the tatami from becoming mouldy is our goal. Standing in the genkan is only so fun so after ten minutes of standing around, I decided to try our luck and called for Mum to bring us towels.

"Hey! Er… Mum? Could you bring some towels to the genkan Chi and I are soaked!" I call into the house hearing the muffled sounds of someone padding around what sounds like the other end of the house.

Another minute goes by and then Mum turned the corner into the hallway that led to the genkan, she was wearing a white and magenta Kimono holding the towels as requested, she's wearing a smile on her face, her hair is let down coming down to her mid-back which is shorter than usual, I assume she got it trimmed and thinned out. Standing in the doorway of the genkan she throws the towels onto us then turns and before she leaves says "It's nice to have you two back, welcome home." With that, she goes off into the house to continue whatever she was doing before we got home.

After drying off Chi seemed to head to his room to change while I headed to my own and set the pack I carried with me down on the floor next to the fresh bedding and futon laid out, I go through the small closet in the room and find what I'm looking for that being a soft salmon-like pink kimono and tabi before I head into the bath having claimed it for myself before we arrived home. The large ceramic tiled room had a massive wooden tub that was roughly one hundred centre meters tall, the room was steamy and warm with moisture covering the walls and floor. Aside from the Furo there was a faucet with a seat next to it and a smaller tub for washing, I quickly stripped the towel I walked into the room with, that was wrapped around my body covering from my breast bone to my mid-thigh, and with that washed myself up before moving to the Furo. Standing over the large tub I ran my hand through it testing the temperature was to my liking, rolling the hair tie that was on my right wrist down I pulled my long and damp hair into a high ponytail putting said ponytail over in front of my body. My formally pale shivering skin gained colour as the water rippled with my entrance, as my hair laid splayed out floating on the water I ran a hand through it for a moment thinking to myself.

'_Maybe I should get a haircut like Mum? Or at the least I need to thin it, it's becoming cumbersome and a little heavy, a haircut might do me well.'_ I thought to myself sitting in the bath. Crossing my fingers, I raised my hands into the air and pushed them up, stretching them out and earning a sigh of relief as the joints loosened their grasp. '_Before I forget I need to talk to Mum about Shobu, hm, I'll do it after I get changed… there's something else I want to think about…'_ I brought my hand up from resting under the water and held some water before tilting my hand and letting it run its course.

'_Maybe… maybe Chi and Mum are right… I might need to start considering different options than being a Shinobi with this Chakra thing going on, I do truly hope it passes and I turn out fine but…. It could also get worse, or it could stay the same in the case of the latter two I'd have to consider maybe going an finding a job at a shop, running a stall, running a __Sentō or getting work as a merchant with Mum…_' a sadness washes over me as I slip further into the water so it's covering my nose and is just below my eyes, right before I was about to continue the thought there was a soft muffled knocking on the door in the next room. After a few more minutes I moved to stand in the bath.

"Alright, I'm getting out now!" I say stepping out of the water and making my way for the door grabbing my towel and beginning to dry my body.

Standing in the room that acts as an intermedium between the bath and the rest of the house I let my hair down and begin the rigorous journey of its upkeep and start drying it off, after my hair I move onto the rest of my body thoroughly drying it before setting the towel on a rack to dry then changing into the kimono I grabbed earlier from my closet as well as underwear and an undershirt. Now done dressing I open the door and step out into the hall where a still damp-haired pale-skinned Chimon is stood in nothing but his underwear leaving me to only give him a questioning look making him shrug in response as he stepped into the room behind me closing the door. With that, I headed out into the living room where Mum was laying with a blanket over her and the table, she was on her back reading one of her many books. _'Huh, that reminds me… I haven't looked at any poetry or writing in years it feels like, all this Ninja nonsense has kept me from my favourite pastime.'_

As I approached the table Mum was sitting at, she looked up from her book giving me a smile that I returned in kind, sitting down across from her I pulled out my inkwell, some paper and brushes. I hadn't done this is years so I'm not sure how well this will go, though before I begin I should tell Mum about who we met.

"Before I forget Mum," I paused seeing her look away from her book "So we ended up meeting someone on our mission the other day, she was… er… Well I'll start with her name, she said her name was Shobu Houzuki" Mums attention was fully to what I was saying now "She also mistook Chimon and I for you and Chi's Dad, we ended up spending the day with her and whatnot, the part that got us was that she was our target so I abandoned that job though I had planned to ever since getting her description." I waited for her response.

"… I-I haven't seen her in years…" she stated with wide eyes "Shobu… how was she then Kazu? She's gotta be in her late fifties to early sixties, it's been twenty or so years since I last saw her…" Mums voice trailed off.

"Yeah, she was doing well when we met her she even invited us back any time as well as offering to train Chi with his hydrafication thingy. Most of what we talked with her about was just catching up on nineteen years of spending time with grandchildren she wasn't aware she had er… not that it's your fault Mum, seeing as we only meet your Mum earlier in the year but, yeah shes well and we had fun I think Chimon will be heading back soon for those lessons." I finished looking back to the ink and paper and began writing.

"Alright, well I'll have to go with either of you next time then I owe a lot to Shobu and I'd like to pay her back," Mum said going back to reading.

_'Should I write a Haiku? A Poem? Or maybe some sort of short tale?'_ I asked myself brush in hand eyes wandering across the paper, then suddenly something clicked and I took the brush to parchment.

**888888888**

_Dawn's luscious locks lay beautifully on the horizon, watching the glorious incandescent light of the bright powerful Sun as it marched into the sky leading its glare of brightness to shine upon all the celestial bodies that watch Earths inhabitants so small yet, so wonderfully powerful and big all holding a pure fire inside there being. That fire of their soul, something of a will that burns on and yearns for the greatest, be that happiness, love, wellbeing or physical aspects of their self. It is only this existence that have truly found that Will of Fire that all seek; it's a matter of who will keep theirs so it burn bright as the Sun, bright as Amaterasu's light true as the blade her brother Sussano-o's strikes. This will everyone holds will eventually run ash and ember, though there are those who burn on for longer and more brightly than others they are few, even the brightest lights can be snuffed so it is in this we must understand the loss of these brilliant existences was as for told to happen has Dawn's rise and her sister Dusk's fall._

I starred at what I had written for quite a while it wasn't until Chimon now dry, though damp hair with a change of clothes to a light blue kimono stood behind me and looked over what I had written and made a noise of agreement before he spoke.

"That's beautiful sister." He said short and concise as he moved to sit down.

Mum moved over and turned it towards her reading it "That… It's very well written Kazu, do you think you want to start looking into doing more for a job?" she said pride in her voice and on her face moving to a questioning glance.

With a sigh, I answered "I guess it's an option I do enjoy doing this but" I paused "I can't help but think you two are trying to keep me from continuing as a Shinobi." I said dryly.

"Well, you aren't getting any better with this chakra sickness…" Mums voice trailed off for a moment before she continued "and I think you really should start considering other options if you haven't already." She reaffirmed her stance on the matter for the millionth time.

"I know you've told me a million times, but I can't do that, not yet not while I can still make a difference. While I'm able I will fight and try to make this world a better place! YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW I FEEL THE MOST! YOU'VE LOST TWO HUSBANDS TO THIS… T-THIS SHIT!" I said much angrier and louder than I meant to.

"I just don't want to lose _anymore_! Not you! Not Chimon! Not anyone else! If I could have it my way neither of you would have become Shinobi! You two are my Love and Joy I live to see your lives grow and better! If I lost you two I'd break… I'd have no one left…" she spoke at a normal volume not yelling back at me, but her words sounded so defeated and like she was about to cry… wait no she was, there were tears streaming down her face.

"I-I… I'm s-sorry I didn't… I-" before I could continue it felt like something was gripping my heart heavy and sorrow filled, I had never really put it into perspective before, never truly tried to understand their reasons past not wanting to see me hurt.

I could feel the warm tears streaming down my face as I watched the mirror that her and I were faced with when we saw each other, I tried to wipe the tears but they wouldn't stop, they just wouldn't. I was about to stand and just leave but, before I could I felt something warm wrap around me, opening my watery eyes Mum was holding me in a tight hug, her breath hitched in my ear as she held me. That's when I noticed Chimon had left though I'm not sure if that was before or after we were like this, then she whispered something into my ear.

"Kazu… remember no matter how strong you are, or you think you are it'll never seem like enough… I can't stop you, not physically anyway but, that doesn't mean I won't try. I Love you and Chimon and I refuse to watch this world take you from me, you may not see it this way because you're both adults now but you're still my babies, my little girl Chibi-Kumi and her little brother My Puddle of Wisdom… No matter what you do I will love you always but, if you go on this suicide run for an ideal you founded as a child with your friends who from what you say are at one another's throats because of their war, then I think you should stop before you let your ideal martyr you."

After she finished we stayed hugging for what felt like an eternity, it probably didn't help that I burst into tears again and Mum's had long since stopped she was now holding me like as she put it 'little girl', I can't say I didn't like it though, it… i-it was nice to be held with that much care again. Being held like this made me think of something the caused me to laugh a little.

"What's so funny Chibi?" she asked voice soft and quiet like I was four again.

"All this hugging made me think of how awkward Chi and Chikara were for that first month before they began dating" I huff another small laugh with a smile.

"It was rather funny though I'm sure you inciting all the awkwardness along with Shirou didn't help." She said finally releasing me, and me her. "Kazumi" She said looking at my face.

"Yes?"

"Your Sharingan is activated… you might want to stop it." She said the sad look from earlier gone.

I blink my eyes deactivating it, with a sigh I leaned back and laid on my back looking to the ceiling letting my thoughts run their course and letting this whole situation mull around in my head. Mum got up and walked out of the room I didn't see where she went, roughly half an hour later Chimon came back I couldn't see what he was doing when he came in the room as I had closed my eyes, I did realise what he was doing after I heard him grunt a little while sitting down before promptly laying his head on my stomach and partially on my breasts at which point he said.

"Ahh… what a nice pillow just sitting here like this…" as he did that my eyes flung open and I threw him off me.

"Get off me you knob-end!" I could see a smirk across his face behind his bangs as he readjusted himself from my repositioning him.

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**AN: I said the chapters would be longer so there you have it, catch you later and all that**


	22. Chapter 22- All about Perspective

**AN: Y'know, I'd like to hear about what people think Kazu's illness might be because there is enough info in the story based on things happening as well as symptoms displayed for people to make guess', my reasoning being that I just want to know if anyone might be able to figure out the process of things to possibly come.**

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I felt weak.

I mean, I had been feeling weak for the year or whatever because of whatever the fuck this sickness was, but right now specifically it might have had something to do with the fact that I was fatigued from running around for quarter an hour, no one was around to see me cough up blood and collapsed into it as well so that was nice. I did have to spend quite a while cleaning up after that little incident.

Basically like every other time I've thought – talked? About this, I hate it a lot, it has gotten worse recently, I don't know why either. Mum thinks it's a sign from the spirits that I should stop what I'm doing and y'know all that crap she keeps trying to push me towards and I get it, after the sort of fight we had I understand her view and all, but that doesn't change how much I still want to be able to do this stuff.

I've been losing a fair amount of weight too, I'm not sure if anyone has noticed and if so they haven't come to me about it, but this is the kind of stuff that's concerning me. Grandma? Mums – Mum? Uh, Tsuna. Didn't seem to think anything of it the first time she checked me out or rather it wasn't anything I mentioned to her at all, neither did I have the same symptoms at the time so that probably dealt towards that.

This sucks. Like a lot, I have trouble walking up steps occasionally and I'm aware of how pale I also get after exercise like earlier when I coughed up blood, too be quite honest with the list of symptoms I've had so far, I'm surprised I have had a heart attack – because I've felt really close to something like one before.

Woo… medical issues that might be life-threatening if they don't get better, I'm not even- um… twenty yet? And I'm having all these old people issues, also I may have forgotten how old I am.

On a lighter note, I was talking to Chikara in private and not teasing her for once and she said that she wanted to have kids at some point, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Chimon reacts to that when she finally tells water-boy, I'd actually like to see what their kids would even look like. Would they have a mishmash of the red and blue hair? Or would they some weird shade of purple? Some food for thought, I guess. The idea of being an aunt was appealing though, heh, I'd get to torment Chimon more by moulding his kids' minds.

Maybe I should get up off the ground?

Slowly I began to sit up and let my hair flop down in front of my face, it had flecks of blood in it. _Eww! What the heck!_ I quickly washed it out in the river that I was next to, after that, I leaned back on the stone bank and squeezed my hair as dry as I could get it. I hope this stops soon, I feel like this could be something else- something more than just some kind of chakra disease. Would anyone know that this is? If I went to the capital where all the fancy stuff is like electricity and better medical care, would they have an idea of what to do? Or what it is?

This is really troublesome.

**88888888**

She came home paler than when she left, her breaths were just as laboured as per usual at this point. I hated seeing her like this, she was my daughter, a near mirror of myself in appearance and I'm forced to watch her walk around having trouble keeping herself upright sometimes, let alone the fact that she continues to push herself only making it worse.

I sighed to myself watching Kazumi say hello and walk languidly past me down the hall to her room, there was nothing I could do though was there? I mean, I didn't want to start going out to recognised professional doctors who would charge me my weight in Ryo just for medicine that might not even work – or if it did it could be an addictive substance to keep us going back, because I've seen that happen to other people I deal with when I'm out at the stall.

I needed to go through my ledger and make sure it was consistent with that I wrote down at work today though, so… my feelings about her health and shoddy medical practise aside I've got to put my head down and do the boring part of being back at work. After half an hour more of lodging today's sales and buys, I was done with the ledger and went into my room where I put it on a small bookshelf against the wall under the window on the right side of the room.

The sun was sitting nicely in the sky with the clouds around it, something about it made me think about Jun and Himeno, I hadn't talked to them in a month or two, maybe I should go visit them? Surely, they've got something that we could talk about, maybe I could drag Chimon along and have him spar with old man Jun, I know he hasn't done much of any fighting to upkeep himself in a very long time. Though I suppose that's the same with Shirou seeing as she had kids now to, Kyousuke doesn't have kids though, she just seems to like sex and isn't particularly interested in having children anytime soon.

Why do all my girl-friends have male names? I mean there's Keisuke as well last I talked to her before she died, she said she had adopted a girl, but never mentioned her name. I wish I had been able to talk to Keisuke one last time before she was murdered, she was a good friend even if she dressed in all white ninety per cent of the few times a year I got to see her, still, don't know why she always wore white, it was kind of odd.

Can't say I don't miss her though, she was fun to talk to and always gave me a perspective on things that I couldn't originally see, it was nice.

There was a sound of wet coughing followed by a muffled '_Fuck!_' then slightly more coughing, I couldn't keep myself from sighing and distracting myself with Kazu's health when I was supposed to be thinking about what was for dinner tonight.

She hates it when I do this, but I think I'll have to get Chimon on her case about keeping her from overdoing everything when she wants to do exercise. When I walked into the kitchen and got to work, periodically I would hear more muffled coughs followed by a curse or two. It was rather distracting, but I couldn't go and tell her to be quiet about it could I? at the very least I hadn't seen her coughing up blood or anything else like Mum suggested to me might happen as apart of the case.

**8888888**

I strolled by a few people selling medicines and other quote "Remedies" and I couldn't keep myself from scoffing at them mentally, they were just glorified drug dealers looking to lure in the poor sods that they could milk for money, though I would have been one of those poor sods if it wasn't for Mother and Kazumi telling me about those scams.

Was it really that wrong to want her to be healthy and fine again? To not wake up in the middle of the night to what sounds like her coughing up a lung, I loved her and she knew that, but she was also stubborn about not taking any kind of dodgy medicine that was off some street vendor no matter the reputation that they held. They could have cured death and she wouldn't touch anything that they sold with a fifty-foot pole.

Anyway, I had better head home soon so I don't miss dinner, that and so I can rebandage the hole through my hand that I got from catching someone's sword with it, so I could get in close enough to kill them. Mum had been mad at me for injuring myself like that, but she was more concerned about whether or not it would get infected because with what little and poor-quality medicine that floated around our town- village thing, people died from infected cuts all the time.

It was a sad truth of our reality, after all not every town, village or hamlet could be as wealthy and well off as the capital and the few big cities around it, sure we've visited them a few times for certain things that we'd have never been able to get out here, but travelling for a week or so just to get one item, then travel back that same distance is the kind of thing that makes the availability of it messed up. I know when we were younger and Kazumi would talk with Madara and Hashirama, she would talk about having easily accessed medical care and whatnot – or like make it so people didn't have to pay, because even then she understood that making people pay for something like that wasn't right, her point only got reinforced when rumours went around about a doctor out in the super rural areas of the Land of Fire was doing any and all medical treatments for free and would serve anyone no matter who they were.

It was mid to late afternoon now, the sun was low enough that it wasn't too far offsetting and the sky was changing colour with it, I began to walk back home. On the way I saw Chikara making her way home as well, I was going to go talk to her for few minutes, but she looked rather busy and focused on something, so I held off on it and continued. By the time I got in the door to the genkan I could smell whatever it was Mum was making was well underway, I couldn't hear any coughing or occasional cursing so I imagine that Kazumi was asleep.

I went into my room and pulled out a roll of bandages and an ointment that I had been given, then began taking off the of coverings – cleaning the wound – applying the ointment and rebandaging it. After that I went and set up the bath so I could have one before we ate, dinner seemed like it would be another half hour to an hour before it was ready so I had time.

The moment my foot went into the bath after I washed my body I dissolved into the water with my Jutsu letting out a sigh of relief and just sat floating in it for a while, it felt really nice and comfortable. Eventually, I formed again sitting in it with my eyes closed, the thought of getting out crossed my mind and I felt that I should probably do that before I stayed in here for too long. So I did, I got out dried myself off and changed into my clothes, after I left the room I nearly bumped into my Sister as she tiredly and clumsily hobbled out of her room eyes half-lidded and yawning, she mumbled something under her breath as she passed and walked out into the living room and plopped herself on to a pillow that was at the table.

Not too much later Mother called dinner and I joined them in at the table for the feast she had prepared for us, as per usual it was good and I enjoyed it a lot, it was definitely something I was going to miss when I finally moved out and left home. Mother had offered to teach me how to cook a few times, but I couldn't get it and was left in the shadow of Kazumi as she abused her Sharingan to cook as Mother did.

**88888888**

'I_ lost the bloody house keys! Damn it! What would Mother and Father say if they saw me scrambling around town like this?! Where could the-' _my thoughts were cut off as I let out a "Ah!" when I stumbled over something on the ground, I stuck my hands out and sort of cartwheeled out of falling into the dirt.

Glancing around there were suddenly a large amount I eyes on me- I felt uncomfortable and so I quickly left the street I was on.

A sigh escaped my lips as I ran my hand through my hair, I had no idea where I had dropped them. '_I had them with me this morning when I left didn't I? surely I did? They aren't in my basket, are they?_' I rummaged threw the basket that I had brought with me to hold the food I brought, and I couldn't find them.

'_I'll just go home for now and look around then_' it took me twenty or thirty minutes until I arrive at home- much to my dismay the house was just as lifeless and empty as when I left it, though the house had been like this ever since they died a few years ago. I had to quit being a Shinobi after that as well because it had me away for too long to be able to look after them properly, I wish I knew what it was that killed them, they just suddenly contracted some sort of disease and died from it after a week. On top of the fact that they were already somewhat sick.

it had been a sad day in the Ako family when my parents passed.

That was all in the past though, the present was more important- mainly because I need to concentrate right now to find these keys. I spent around another ten minutes looking for them in the general area that they should've been in and I didn't find any trace of them being there at all.

it wasn't until afterwards that I spotted something sitting next to the counter in the house's kitchen- "You've got to be kidding me!" my voice rang out as I scrambled over and picked up the keys to the front door, that was sitting in plain sight.

"God damn it… I hope Chimon doesn't find out about this, let alone that sister of his- she'd find no end of ways to find it funny." I saw my mopey looking blue eyes in the reflection of the sink and sighed to myself brushing my red hair out of the way.

* * *

**AN: Poor Chikara and her keys. Anyway, catch you next month.**


	23. Chapter 23, Grand kids and mugging

**AN:**

* * *

"How else do you explain it then? These dates of yours often have you staying at her house afterwards- so if I don't get Grandchildren soon then I'll be forcing you two to marry already." Mum said watching our stoic water-boy fidget and crumble as his face became increasingly red as he spluttered about trying to answer back properly.

We were eating breakfast together and Mum had decided to pin down Chimon over all the time he's been spending with his girlfriend recently, personally I think they're probably bumping uglies and Mum just likes to make jokes about it because she knows he doesn't handle listening to that stuff very well. She used to do it to me, and I always tell her that I could always go to a brothel and find someone willing to get me pregnant if she wanted grandkids so badly, then she would try to talk me out of it saying that I should only ever have sex with someone I know and actually like or love.

"Mum you'll have to stop anymore and he might burst or accidentally say something that I'd rather not hear about." I said watching my brothers face become less red as our Mother laughed at him, I was about to laugh as well when it caught in my throat lost as I coughed hard and flecks of blood found themselves on my Kimono's inner elbow.

"Kazumi…" Mum said with a growing sad look. "I- we can get you some more medicine if you need it." She watched me with her expression that said everything that she didn't say but wanted to. I had been taking a sort of medicine recently, but it wasn't doing anything for me and I wish I hadn't taken it because it's been a wasted venture and a waste of Mums money.

"I-" I coughed again into my inner elbow, this time without blood. "I'm fine- plus that stuff doesn't do anything for me, so stop wasting money on it." I had told her a few times already, but I think she just wanted to have something to believe in at this point and right now that drug just so happened to be it.

"If you say so…" I hated this, why was it that she could pull off looking so sullen in such a way that it broke my heart.

"She's right Mother, but also even without the medicine whatever she has seems to be evening out and not causing as many issues." Chimon said finally back to normal.

"That's because I've been staying around the house and doing what exercise I can out in the backyard, I haven't been able to get any around town without becoming a risk to myself. It's like I've got no stamina or endurance- whatever you want to call it." I said laying on my back and closing my eyes, I could hear Chimon grunt as he stood taking the dishes into the kitchen while Mum seemed to stay seated.

**8888888**

He was acting off, and occasionally he would sigh heavily like something was troubling him, I wasn't sure what yet, but I planned to ask about it once we were back at my house, he was normally very open with me despite how he acted to most people.

It was a rather nice day, there were a few clouds about, the nice ones too. You know the fluffy white kind? And the Sun was bright as ever, I'm sure it was a good day for farmers and anyone living out in the super rural villages around the country. It was also a good day for our date, Chimon had been very uncomfortable with them at first and fidgety which hadn't helped me during our early ones when I was all but far too worried his sister would come and surprise us on it or possibly embarrass us both as I had found she loved doing that. Their Mother, Kumi, was nice though, any teasing she did was more dialled in and easier to not get flustered by.

Their Aunt… Shiro? I think that was her name, was rather abrasive at first, but I could very much so see where Kazumi might have built up her love for teasing people from, because that woman wouldn't let it go that Chimon and I were somehow in a relationship that consisted of us having sex and only that, just because she felt it so. Though she was also very drunk that time I met her and her partner.

Anyway we were almost there now only a few minutes to go.

As I unlocked the door letting us in despite knowing no one was home both of us naturally and unconsciously announced our presence. I went straight to my room and stripped my clothing then went to into my draws for a new Kimono and Obi, before going to set up the bath for myself and waited around for it to warm and fill up, Chimon had headed into the kitchen and began to make tea. It was almost sad really, he wasn't any good at cooking at all and could only really make tea or coffee.

The bath was very good, I'm glad I had decided to take one before we talked.

When I was dried off and cleaned up, I headed out to the living room in my teal floral patterned Kimono with its salmon pink Obi, Chimon in his boringly plain navy blue kimono was sitting at the round low table with a jug that had steam coming from it like his cup that had a sweet scented liquid. The cup he had gotten out for me was more of a mug than his and was filled with the familiar bitter black liquid I enjoyed so much, there was another smaller sup sized jug filled with milk. I took a seat and sipped away at my coffee, holding the mug with both hands and inhaling the a waft of the smell.

After a few minutes of silence where both of us were watching out the screen door that overlooked the small yard my parents' house had I spoke up.

"You've been off ever since we met up this morning Chimon, what's happened?" I asked watching his expression.

"Oh- Uh… sorry." He apologised quietly. "My sister and Mother were making jokes about our dates this morning and I guess they affected my more than I thought." His expression was soft and almost forlorn.

"What were they saying about us?" I hope they weren't saying that were- you know…

"Mother was saying that with all this time I had been spending alone at your house, if she didn't get grandchildren soon then she would marry us off." He said turning his head to the side face becoming somewhat redder, it was rather cute to be honest.

"G-g-grandc-c-children you s-say?!" had she heard from Kazumi about what I had told her? Gosh I hope not, I was just saying that because I did want to have kids at some point. I could feel the heat rising on my own face.

"Ugh…" He groaned holding his face in his hands hiding his very obviously embarrassed face. "Yes that's what she said…" he put his hands down and shook his head for a moment. "I hadn't been telling them what we were doing out of privacy, but now they're saying things like this and it makes me want to say what happens just so they won't get to these conclusions." He said sounding very resigned.

"W-w-well… I-I-I mean t-t-they aren't too f-f-far off the margin o-of what we do…" I stuttered out, we did occasionally do those types of things, s-so it wasn't inaccurate to say we did them.

"T-that's besides the p-point!" he stuttered out just as badly, we were both such children about something so normal.

**888888888**

"Oooh back to us after being away for a few days are we now?" she grinned "I hope you made her moan like she wanted to~" the older sister joked falling onto her back from being seated and laughing until she began to wheeze from the reaction given by the blue haired boy.

"I guess I'll just put my lunch in away until I gain my appetite back…" their Mother said with a disgusted look at the mental image that was given to her.

"I think I might just go somewhere else if this is what I have to deal with." Chimon said turning away from the scene before him and heading further into the house, going into his room.

"Wait- Wait! You two are so damnably boring! All I did is joke about how Chikara wants Chimon to rail her!" Kazumi argued as though her points were any better when spelled out.

"Kazu, why do you always bring up what your brother does with her when I'm eating? Do you wait for these moments or what?" Kumi asked her daughter sounding somewhat annoyed at losing her appetite after the mental images supplied to her.

"Yes, actually I do. This is basically all the fun I can have without you guys thinking I'm about to keel over." She replied with a laugh.

As per the families normal antics the conversation turned in a different direction leaving the sex talk behind, Kumi continued eating again when Kazumi decided that she wanted to go for a walk alone and Chimon followed along with his sister partially to keep an eye on her and also so that he might buy things he had been meaning to.

Kumi would end up leaving the house as well to go and meet up with her friends that she hadn't spoken to in quite some time, while she was out with them she noticed that something was somewhat off with Jun, he kept sneaking in glances at her and having a sad look overcome him for a brief moment. Kumi didn't confront her good friend over his actions deciding to just leave it as was, after all she knew that if it was something she should worry about then he would have talked to her about it.

While the siblings were out walking around like they had done so much together over their childhood, Kazumi didn't have any particular destination in mind though her brother ended up separating from her leaving without saying where he was going. Kazumi continued to walk around until she found herself being mugged of all things, she didn't have much strength to fight off the grungy man covered in mud and grime holding a short chipped and cracked machete.

"Hand over the damned money you bitch!" he said scowl heavy on his matted skin, he pointed the machete out at her threateningly.

"A-a-ah now why don't you put that down-" Kazumi said as the man stepped forward. "I don't have money on me, so I can't give you any even if I wanted t-" she was cut off as he swung at her with a yell and narrowly missed slashing her though slashed open the Kimono she was wearing.

"You slut if you don't give me your damned money I'll kill you!" he howled at the blonde.

Kazumi had the cut open parts of her kimono bunched up in her hand trying to keep it from dropping and revealing her body, her situation was made worse when the untimely sickness of hers decided to rear its head and she coughed up blood onto the ground in front of her making the robber stop and move out of the way. He saw his chance and was about to attack her again looking to kill but his hand was caught mid-swing, there was a sickening crunch before the mugger collapsed to the ground yelling in pain and stopped when a foot stopped his head.

"Thanks, Chimon…" Kazumi said as she began to look up from wiping her mouth. "Wait you're not Chi." In front of her was a man, he had dark hair, hazel eyes, tanned skin and was a similar height to Kazumi, he was wearing a coat with armour over it.

"No, I am not." He stated flatly. "If you are fine then I will be going, also you may need to find yourself new clothing, if you have no money then I would be fine with sparing my time to help." He continued he began turning away before she answered him.

"Uh yes! Actually, I do need your help, I'm sick at the moment so I would be very grateful if you could help me back to my home." She tried her hardest to keep the urge to cough again down as the man offered for her to lead the way, the man put an arm around her shoulders and arms before picking her up bridal style making Kazumi squawk indignantly at the suddenness of the action.

By the time they had acquired a replacement Kimono for Kazumi and arrived she was dropped off at home by the man by then having named himself as 'Han', the two were found by Kumi who asked her daughter if the man was her boyfriend which was turned down by Han. He explained what had happened and his helping of Kazumi before abruptly leaving saying that his help was no longer needed.

This left the Mother and Daughter standing in the entryway to their house somewhat befuddled at the man's exit.

* * *

**AN: Farewell for now.**


	24. Chapter 24, Two Chi's: Power and Wisdom

**AN: Hello.**

* * *

"Y'know Chikara, you have a rather masculine name is there a reason behind that?" Kazumi asked sitting across from Chikara.

I watched Chikara stutter to answer her "I-I Believe that m-my parents w-wanted a son." Her face was becoming a shade redder.

_'Damn it Kazu, for once could you not.'_ With a sigh, I shoved Kazumi lightly making her fall onto her side laughing only making 'Kara redder, she coughed a few times while laughing.

We were at Chikara's house in the living room after helping her move to a new house, she decided to buy something bigger with more room. The new house had a total of five rooms not counting the new genkan, kitchen/storeroom, toilet, bathroom and boiler closet. The others were the living room then four bedrooms, it was definitely larger though, I can understand why as the house she was in before was her parents who died and so she sold the house buy this one with what she got and some of her own money. There was a nice Buddhist like zen garden at the back of the property that could be accessed from a screen door that went out to an engawa veranda that wrapped around the outside of the house, though it wasn't as big as ours that's only fair considering Mum was the one who brought it.

Most if not all of her stuff had been moved in now and we were winding down, well we were until Kazumi started teasing Chikara but even then it was all in jest it wasn't anything that was worth getting flustered about well, that was until she decided to bring up an old joke.

"Hey, Chikara? Did Chimon ever tell you about the time he hit you from behind? I hope you got to enjoy it, I imagine everything went fine seeing as there aren't any strays running amok" Kazumi's grin was that of shit eating proportions.

Red-faced and spluttering 'Kara looked at me then at Kazu a few times "I- U-uh… what do you mean 'strays running around' and 'hit me from behind' they… uh.." her voice quiet and embarrassed trailed off, it was almost sad how easily the both of us were so easily flushed.

"She means nothing by it, it's just some stupid joke she made back when I knocked you out at Kuranosuke's mansion thing" I cut in while Kazumi was rolling on the floor laughing to herself.

"oh…" she replied quietly.

as the afternoon progressed and we never truly explained the Kazu's dumb joke to 'Kara so she was left mostly confused about that but she was happy about moving and thanked us a plethora of times for helping her with it. After that Kazumi went home coughing and spluttering while I stuck around for a while longer helping with setting up the rooms as well as putting the furniture in place, it didn't take too long to do all of it as Kara still didn't have all that many things. By the time we finished though the sun had set and there wasn't very much light out so I ended up staying with her for that night when we were both up that next morning, I decided to ask her about what work she was doing now because she had recently stopped doing Shinobi stuff.

we were sitting at the table in the living room with a meal she made and coffee when I asked "So 'Kara, what are you going to do now? For like money or just a job? 'cause I noticed you stopped taking jobs a little while ago." I asked looking to her disheveled red hair and half-open sleepy blue eyes.

"I'm…" she trailed off for a moment yawning "Thinking about just quitting being a Shinobi and just becoming… uh, I suppose I just sorta want to live a civilian life for a while, I mean I'm twenty-one so err… I kinda was thinking about wanting to start a family… soon… but, uh… yeah" she keeps her eyes from meeting mine and looked to the food in front of her on the table as she spoke.

_'Oh… that's what it is… she wants kids soon… wait, WAIT WHAT!?'_ I try my best to keep my surprise and the flush that takes my face hidden for a moment looking to the side and coughing into my elbow.

I could see that her face was even redder than mine "B-but… if you d-don't want t-to yet that's f-fine t-too!" she stuttered out quickly.

"I- uh… maybe we should hold off on that for a few years yet, let me turn twenty before we decide to jump straight into having kids. Cause uhh as is I'm only seventeen and I don't feel like that would go over well to have them while we're this young…" I reply leaving her fading red face to lift her eyes meeting mine.

I do get why she would want to have kids though, despite our awkwardness because Ninja/Shinobi or hell even Samurai don't have very long life spans I think the average lifespan of a Shinobi or Samurai is mid-twenties to late thirties.

"We also haven't been together long enough to warrant having kids to be quite honest while I do love you, I don't feel like we should make such a life-changing decision so early on into our relationship" I say getting a knowing nod from her as she finishes up her food, I do the same taking the dishes into the kitchen and washing them for her to dry.

"Yeah… I just wanted to get it out in the open I guess…" she finally said as we were doing the dishes

**8888888**

Over the next few months as Chikara and myself got closer I ended up moving in with her and to mothers dismay and encouragement she sent me on my way to live with her, Chikara definitely started smiling more though I think that might have been to more so just having someone around instead of always being alone while at home after her parents passed. We didn't see one another super often though due to the jobs I ended up with where I'd be sent to battlefields for days at a time, until finally, the time rolled around for when we were going to have Tsuna check-in with Kazumi to get a verdict on her condition before maybe finally having her be forced to decide how she wishes to move forward.

it was a cold winter morning, the skies were dark and grey, it had been raining for most of the day leaving the house cold but slowly warming up by the time I arrived at the house to be there for the verdict. Stepping through the genkan after changing to slippers moving into the living room where Mum, Tsuna and Kazumi were sitting around drinking tea, as I walked in everyone acknowledged me and Kazumi made a snarky comment.

"Last one to the party brother, always making us wait, we should have gotten started without you." She smiled, I noticed her wince slightly as she clutched her chest for a brief moment before playing it off like she hadn't.

"Yeah, yeah…" I said sitting down.

After twenty minutes of medical talk and examinations then some chakra exercises as well as actual exercise Tsuna finally gave the verdict.

"So, my conclusion is…" the older woman paused for suspense getting rolled eyes from Mum "Well, putting it simply and bluntly, you're going to die. Your health is deteriorating badly and whatever this chakra disease is, it's damaging you in more ways than one, the more you continue to use it the shorter your life expectancy will be. At the current point in time I'd say you have two maybe four years to live if not six months to a year if you continue to use chakra- so stop using it, unless you want to reach an early grave." Tsuna looked sad as she delivered the news.

_'I was prepared for this, its what I had been preparing myself for hearing this whole time, I can only hope that Kazumi is fine with this though-_' Tsuna's voice cut in before I could continue the thought.

"But," she dragged out "That's only if you don't know why it might be that all your chakra is constantly being drained into your eyes, it's like a sinkhole draining all of your chakra, not to mention all the chakra also going into your heart and lungs, the way it's doing it might be your body naturally trying to fix, repair of slow down the effects of whatever the heck your eyes are doing. Continued damage to your respiratory system might kill you much faster than the chakra at this rate, so if you know why, then please tell us why your eyes might be taking so much chakra from you." She finished, though her comment about respiratory problems went ignored except for me, that was something seemed obvious now that I looked back on it, more so then at the time.

"Wait… Kazumi you have the three tomoe in each eye, right?" Mum asked.

"Yeah, why?" she looked to Mum quizzically before something clicked and she snapped her fingers "Oh! I know what it could be!" she said excitedly like she'd figured out the final word in a crossword.

"What is it?" Tsuna and I asked at the same time.

"Oh! Mum sorry I never told you did I? Kojiro - Kazumi's father was an Uchiha, so she has the Sharingan, and I'm sure that there was another stage beyond the normal one because Kojiro and his sister achieved it before they died because they used it in their fight." Mum said to Tsuna as though that answered it all.

"You mean to say that; Kazumi's eyes are trying to form this new Sharingan? And that's where all the chakra is going? Lastly, Kumi dearest... why in all the years did you just not mention something as important as your husband being an _Uchiha_! That's something you should have told me!" Tsuna responded raising her voice.

Mum flustered and red looked away like an embarrassed child, while I watched Kazumi put her face in her palm before using her index and middle finger to drag on the area around her eye, chakra flaring eyes becoming red as she made it more open. Red flittering out like a lantern's flame she removed her hand and seem to resolve something in her head by the way she nodded to herself, and then. She just up and left in the middle of Mum being berated by Tsuna, I reached for her hand as she passed but she ran off out the front door making us all turn wide-eyed and attempt to go after her.

**88888888**

Madara had been preparing to leave when she burst into the quiet, empty house. He was in the middle of slinging his Gunbai onto his back when there was a loud noise that sounded like yelling before a thud and silence washed over the house again. His mind ran a million miles a minute trying to figure out what was happening, he jogged through the house into the living room past the genkan filled with the sandals of his dead family and there on the floor was a girl… no a woman with long blonder hair in a blue silk kimono, her clothing, and body seemingly wet and dirty with her face against the tatami floor eyes closed as she lay unconscious, her right hand was clutching at her chest with a pain expression across her face.

"Kazumi…?" he asked turning her over with a confused expression.

When she finally came around her eyes heavy and tired, drag themselves open, half-lidded her green eyes looked around the unfamiliar room. She tried to sit up but collapsed the same sharp pain that she occasionally got when breathing as well as the pang that her lungs periodically got, as she did there was a sigh from her left in this dimly lit room that became suddenly bright as a door opened.

"Oh, you're awake," a familiar voice said sitting down next to her.

"Mmblr" the noise went undignified by Madara.

"You know Kazumi, I was in the middle of preparing to leave for a battle, but…" he dragged on "Then a certain blonde we both know collapsed onto the floor of my living room. Now that I think about it, how do you remember where the clan is? It's been like five or six years since you were last here." The long dark-haired boy said.

"Wait…" Kazumi paused eyes now fully open "Madara?! Why am I… wait no I remember…" Her eyes widened as the realization took over.

"So why are you here?" He asked getting straight to the point.

"I-I Uh… there's a version of the Sharingan beyond the three tomoe isn't there?" She asked getting a surprised look from Madara.

"…how did you?" he paused momentarily "Right you were at that battle not too long ago, you saw my Sussano-o," he concluded watching the way she reacted.

"Ha! Chimon was right!" she said confusing the pale man. "He called it Sussano-o, saying the fight made him think of the battle between him and Orochi" She finished, as she did she went into a heavy coughing fit that sounded wet and muddied, not helped by the way her diaphragm felt like it was being crushed.

"H- are you alright?!" he went to her side only to be brushed off when her breathing returned to normal after one last gasp, her features looking pale as a slight sweat began to form on her brow. Madara moved back and continued "I never even thought about that connection, huh… Well anyway back to the Sharingan, why do you ask?" He said shifting as Kazumi sat up properly.

"Err… yeah, so I've been sick per se for the last year if it wasn't obvious enough and a family doctor diagnosed me with a few years at best to live unless I stopped using chakra/being a shinobi, and in her explanation, she asked why my eyes could possibly be draining so much Chakra from me. Presumably the-" she coughed clutching her breast again before Her eyes blinked into that familiar red and black design. "Ugh… presumably the other stuff… is some kind of side effect." She winced tentatively rubbing just under her ribs. "So, I had come here to ask if you knew why or if maybe my body was naturally trying to achieve this other level of Sharingan."

"Well… I'm not entirely supposed to tell anyone outside the clan this…" he sighed "But the next level your eyes might be trying to progress to is the Mangekyou Sharingan… I got mine from experiencing the extreme pain of watching my family and loved ones die, though you can attain it through very strong feelings of love as well." He spoke quietly.

"There was… maybe one time particularly recently that I might have experienced something like that…" Kazumi replied thinking of the fight she had gotten into with her mother, Kumi had said her Sharingan activated during it.

"If you don't mind me asking what happened?" The Uchiha inquired.

She retold the story slowly making sure she got all the important details, talking about the build-up to that point as well, Madara listened to her not talking just taking in the words she spoke and the sadness she was experiencing as the story reached its climax or rather the fight with Kumi. Fresh tears began to fall from the blonde girls face the more she remembered and talked about, until she finally stopped and Madara consoled her to let it out, knowing full well as an Uchiha even if not in appearance and name she was one by blood, needed to release their emotions, their clan was one of love and that love was so powerful that it physically manifested through their chakra. When Kazumi finally finished the story she looked to Madara for answers and he stood up offering her a hand.

"There's something I want you to come see." He said as she followed him through the house out to a shrine nearby.

going into the Shrine Kazumi hobbled in and stopped seeing it's gloomy atmosphere before she asked, "What is this place?" Madara replied easily "The Uchiha Shrine, there is something I want you to read." They went further in until there was a stone tablet that with her Sharingan still on she could read.

"Go on read it, make sure to push chakra into your eyes as much as you can and I'll be here to stop it if something goes wrong."

She began reciting what was written, after the first line there was an excruciating pain in her head and she clutched it gasping in pain, she pushed reading the next line… it made her pause with wide eyes, Madara was standing next to her and gave her a nod putting his hand on her shoulder. She continued to read the lines making it to the fifth line before her eyes spun into a five-petal flower pattern, that exact same floral pattern exploded out in front of her in bloom of violet chakra creating what was almost a shield. Moments afterward Kazumi collapsed unconscious and Madara caught her before she hit the ground.

"Well… that was… interesting…" He picked her up bridal style and took her inside laying her in the guest's room.

**88888888888**

"Chimon do you have any idea where she could have possibly gone? I mean surely she couldn't have made it far at all, not with her condition?" Mother asked as we made another round of the hamlet turned settlement, turned village we lived in.

"There's one place she could have gone, especially after what happened with a mission a while ago…" I trailed off thinking about what Kazumi had told me when we were escaping the 'Sussano-o', that name was beginning to grow on me.

"Where is it? If you know, we have no idea what she might do?! Please tell me Chimon!" It hurt to see Mother crying the way she was as she demanded I tell her.

"I'm sorry but I don't actually know how to get there," I said almost avoiding it, after all, we'd been looking for four days to find her. "She… might have gone to see Madara? That's my guess at this point, Mum, after all, who better to ask about her eyes than an Uchiha."

"The Uchiha?! That's where she went!?" Mum said concerned look only growing before she dashed off in what I assume was the direction of the clan's settlement.

I followed after her making sure to keep up with her pace, I was glad I decided to wear my Shozoku for ease of movement today, Mum had taken a similar approach having stolen Kazumi's one and put it on at my suggestion of finding something easy to move around in. At first after Mum came out wearing it I actually thought it was Kazumi for a split second before I realized it was her, there was basically only the smallest of details making the discernible from one another at this point, Mum wore her hair shorter now – more in line with being shoulder-blade length then waist length and she had cresses forming on her face from stress and such.

It took us a day to make it to what Mother called 'the Uchiha forest' which seemed to be this enormous forest surrounding the settlement on all sides acting as a way to conceal the place as well as an intermedium. We stopped a fair few times along the way making the actual journey take about two days total, it's not like I could blame Mum either, I mean after all she's in her late thirties' early forties? I think, on top of that, she's a merchant for her job so she's not running around doing stuff all the time like we are. There was this large stone wall and gate that we reached, it had the Uchiha clan crest all over it, there wasn't anybody around guarding it or anything so we just walked right in and Mum having been here before led us straight to the clan heads house, or probably just Madara's house at this point because I'm pretty sure his entire family was killed.

We weren't stopped by any of the clan on our way through it to the house, there wasn't anyone home when we arrived, we knocked and called for Madara himself as well as Kazumi but no one answered leaving us to enter the house. We looked around trying our best to respect the family's privacy considering we were raiding the house to find Kazu, after about twenty minutes of looking and searching we couldn't much of a clue as to if she had even been there, that was until I went back into the laundry room where I noticed Kazumi's Kimono – the one she wore when she left the house, sitting on the ground discarded.

**88888888**

Madara had asked if I would join him on the battlefield, I said yes but I think he only asked because he didn't want to leave me alone while I was still sick. Let alone the fact that I coughed up blood a few times on his floor, I was feeling light-headed too, but the moment we got out of the house I was feeling somewhat better.

I had made him late so that was a reason for my joining as well, I'd like to repay him for that, this led to him finding one of his mother's old Uchiha clan coat/shirt thingys that was a signature piece of the clan in the wars they fought, it was navy blue with a large clan crest on the back, he also saddled me with Kusarigama with a much longer chain then they normally had, it was fitted with a four-meter long chain. Quite the catch, to say the least, Madara also armed me with a shuriken pouch, he didn't say who we were going to be fighting but I had an inkling as to it being the Senju. I hadn't made a fuss about it though, not this time, he had already done a lot with helping me with the Sharingan and he gave me some medicine as well, so I felt in debt to him at the moment, which was why I had agreed to go with him in the first place. One of the terms of agreement though was that I didn't use my Sharingan at all during the battle and that I kept from the main fight when I could, even if it was just the normal version because how the new one I unlocked worked, it caused a lot more strain on the eye and chakra from what he said, so I was left to fight normally.

I was ready this time though, more ready than I was when we fought alongside one another the first time and he used Sussano-o as he did, I was pretty excited all things considered as well, mostly because I could finally fight without having to worry about the chakra drain the Sharingan was giving me all that time, even if I had to watch myself for the sickness or whatevers' lingering effects. It was nice to move so unrestrictedly and easily; the medicine had worked its magic. It took us two days to get across the country with the rest of the Uchiha heading out to fight, we were going to be fighting over near the border to the Land of Wind so it was pretty dry and hot out towards that end of the Land of Fire.

The area that looked to be our no-man's land was a huge mile or just under strip of rocky wasteland with sparse greenery and a river running diagonally through it, I was glad I was partial to fire chakra and jutsu because of how versatile it was for these kinds of battles, I also wanted to try out a jutsu I had been wanting to use for a while but couldn't with the chakra drain. Madara had gathered everyone up and was finishing up the plan the clan had devised before I was in the picture, because of that he decided to just put me in the first wave of us heading out alongside him again like the last time we did this.

The assault the was planned had us waiting around in some particularly strategic points throughout the area, the one I was at was next to the river, we laid in wait with an area of effect genjutsu that removed us from sight allowing us to ambush the Senju when they showed up, while my plan was to knock them out and not kill anyone that couldn't be said for the rest of the people here.

* * *

**AN: Later.**


	25. Chapter 25, In Bloom

**AN: Uh so I'm not sure if I mentioned it beforehand but I mentioned Kumi having a friend a while back named Keisuke and they had a kid, I just want to clear up that they aren't the same as the surrogate mother of Kasumi, I had just forgotten that I had used the name before for someone else. Also, I'm sure people reading this might come away from this chapter possibly feeling like it reads like it was rushed, mostly because I feel that way about how it reads and I wrote out this entire chapter months ago. I imagine it's because I don't have a beta or editor, so I do it all by myself leading to a lot of times where I'll write out an entire chapter pretty quickly and just leave it for a month so I can come back to it and re-evaluate it.**

**While I'm talking about crap though, I want to mention the Sharingan and how it deteriorates someone's mind as well as poisoning their mindstate which is whats happened to Kasumi, hence why she acts so randomly and has snapped so hard mentally, because the constant use of the Sharingan and the mangekyou has destroyed her original personality and become muddied leading to what she is in current time.**

* * *

There were flowers in bloom as we left the Uchiha Clan, there was something about them that caught my attention they were a five-petal flower that was a pinkish purple colour, despite all my time in my own garden and working with Florists I couldn't tell what the flower was. Chimon seemed to notice my interest in this particular flower that sat among others that seemed to be Kuroyuri from what I could remember… "Curse" I said out loud remembering one of the flowers many meanings, I huffed a small laugh at it realising how well a flower like itself fit with this accursed clan. We left empty-handed aside from something we got from this woman who I asked if she knew where the clan head was, she had said that a group of the clan had gone out to another battlefield two days before we arrived and that they had someone with them that fit Kazu's description. I just wished this was easier… she still doesn't have the use of her chakra fully and is on a one-way streak to an early death with her condition, I hate this. I feel so useless about something to do with my own daughter… I've worked as hard as I could to ensure that her and Chimon could live the lives they wanted and comfortably at that, yet no matter how close to achieving that I get we're thrust back into something to ruin that.

As we began travelling back to Hanafu village the same one we'd been living in since Chimon and Kazumi were only four and six, I believe. Chimon suddenly became alert to something and stopped me by putting his hand out in front of me, I saw a stern fierce look that I had never seen him wear before, one that seemed to have been carved from all the time he and his sister spent fighting among the warring clans. It made me realise something for the brief moment I watched it before he looked away, I don't know my children as well as I thought I did. If I had Kazumi wouldn't have run away or had she still done it I would know where she'd go or why she did it, same with Chimon… every time I look at him all I see is Fuugetsu and not him… not until he acts… he's so different from his father, everything about his appearance except for his eyes is from his father and from Shobu but… that doesn't seem to stop me from wanting to see Fuugetsu in him every moment that I can. I guess I miss Fuu and Ko more than I give credit for.

My thoughts were cut off when suddenly a radiant burst of what I could only assume was chakra slammed into the ground where I had just been standing, the suddenness of Chi pulling me away and holding himself around me to protect me startled me and still hurt a fair amount when we smacked into a tree, Chimon taking a brunt of the force. I watched in terror as the chakra form whipped back slashing through several trees revealing someone I thought and had hoped I'd never see again…

"Kasumi…" the words left my mouth as it felt choked up like it was hard to breath, I felt the most gut-wrenching terror I had felt in my entire life when this enormous chakra construct's torso swung around and it's teal axe the same colour as the rest of it came down on me.

The last thing I heard was the sound of Chimon yelling for me as my vision faded.

**8888888**

"Keisuke?" the still injured Kasumi asked the older woman as she heard the sounds of food being made nearby.

"What is it Kasumi? I can't really spare much at the moment I'm making lunch." The older woman with the fondness for kimono's in differing shades of white with bright and colourful highlights.

Kasumi was quite bored, she had woken up several days ago and since realised how much she hated her life, everything she wanted or had was gone and there was nothing left for her. She had remembered what happened to cause her to be thrown off the cliff, she had tried to kill herself. Seemingly she had failed, all that was left now was Keisuke the woman who had fished her from her water bogged death, while the thought of someone being kind enough to save her might have once made her happy at this point in time she was mad because of it, she hadn't told Keisuke that she had remembered what happened to her yet because she was trying to figure out a bullshit excuse cover up seeing as the Woman seemed to like her for whatever reason.

She couldn't understand why Keisuke had become so attached to her, they'd only known one another for the few days that she had been awake and even then most of it was spent with Kasumi asleep while Keisuke went about her day as usual except for the hour or two that she put aside for distracting the Uchiha from the pain of being bedridden, it seemed as though her back would be healing for a very long time and with what little medical help that Keisuke was able to find through a doctor Kasumi may end up paralysed for the rest of her life.

After some time passed, of which Kasumi had grown accustomed to being insanely bored during, Keisuke came in with rice and helped Kasumi into a sitting position where her back was supported by a plank being used as a splint of sorts. The woman in white helped the feline eye-shaped girl eat by holding the bowl of rice up to her and feeding it to her through the chopsticks. It was another thing she had done since they became aware of her situation, the raven-haired older woman would treat her almost like a child or infant.

Kasumi was starting to come to the conclusion that either she had said something she didn't remember saying to Keisuke that would make her act as such, or her other theory was that Keisuke had lost a son or daughter recently enough that she was still emulating her actions for those of this child – or possibly even children.

When eating was all said and done Kasumi was back to laying on the ground enjoying the view of the ceiling she got, Keisuke came back into the room after washing and drying the dishes she created and sat down next to the paralysed girl giving a smile as she pulled out an inkwell, a brush and calligraphy paper. She began to write something out as she spoke to Kasumi.

"How're you feeling at the moment, dear?" She said softly in a motherly fashion that reminded Kasumi of her own mother that she had remembered meeting after she went over the cliff.

"I am doing as well as I can while in this wretched position…" the words seethed out of her mouth "I have a question for you Keisuke." Kasumi turned her head, so her eyes made contact with the other woman's. "Why do you treat me like an infant or child? I'm old enough that I find it annoying all things considered." She finished getting a flash of surprise from the older woman.

"I-I …I didn't mean to, I assure you! I-it is just something I have a tendency to do." She stuttered out "I'm sorry if it's annoying you, it's just that you remind me of my late daughter Hanabi who you are very similar to in appearance. Again, I am very sorry about that!" Keisuke was doing dogeza, with her head on the ground bowing to the younger girl for forgiveness

Kasumi cringed at seeing the older woman, her current caretaker on her knees bowing like she was, with a sigh she spoke. "Please stop doing that, I didn't need you to bow to me like that, I'm not important enough for that sort of thing." She watched as her caretaker raised her head with a glum look and apologised again.

**888888888**

Hahsirama wasn't at the battle we fought in, I was more than glad for that. It didn't take us too long to make it back to the clan settlement, we arrived back maybe two days after the three days straight of fighting than winning. I didn't get pulled up over not killing anyone I fought nor did anyone call out the fact that I was out of shape for most of it, so there was a plus side beyond not having to see Hashirama at this point, I had my reasons for not wanting to see him most of them boiled down to the last time I had seen him he had reached out to me and Chi in order to recruit us into his family and I kindly told him to piss off because I didn't want to fight in a war. Then here I was fighting in the Uchiha vs Senju war on the opposite side. I feel like it would be rubbing salt in the wound, I didn't mean to be an arse at the time but that's just the way it came out and it seemed to really hurt him.

As we approached Madara's house, he and I were talking about minor things to do with the battle, mostly I was asking about his opinion on constantly fighting the Senju over any others. He seemed contempt with it looking for the time when he could strike back at the one who killed Izuna, but it was then that I noticed someone pacing outside the entrance.

"Kazumi!" Chimon shouted with glee though he looked terrified and like he hadn't slept in days.

That set something off in my mind immediately "What's going on Chimon?!" I asked running up to him and putting my hands on his arms to still and calm him.

"I-I-I … M-Mum… she- Kasumi- I-I Save Her Please!" he was the most scared I had ever seen him, without a moments notice he was hugging me tightly and crying, the emotion pouring out of him.

"Slow down… sh sh shh… it's alright… tell me what happened?" He seemed so distraught in my arms as I held him, Madara alert and standing at attention giving me a look that conveyed his willingness to help.

"K-Kasumi- Your father's s-sister attacked us while we were looking for y-you… and I-I couldn't p-p-protect her! Kazumi she nearly killed M-mother an-and kidnapped her saying s-she wanted y-you!" He stuttered out among the sharp inhales of his sobs, he was terrified.

"Who's this Kasumi woman?" Madara asked.

"She's the sister of my father… technically our aunt I suppose… but if she's got Mum… FUCK!" I yelled slamming my fist wound in chakra into a tree next to us spending a shattering crack up it. "All we know about her is that she killed my dad for his eyes for some fucking reason!" We had no damned information on this gods awful woman.

"Wait did you say she killed him for his eyes? Was your father the Uchiha?" Madara asked to which I nodded "Then I'll need to help you, she will be no easy opponent."

**88888888**

The last words her mother had spoken to her when she watched her die were some that she'll carry to her grave, they were something she'd never forget no matter what happened, no matter how much her mind had deteriorated from using her ascended Sharingan for all these years. Those eyes of hers had scrapped every last inch of her mind and personality and eaten away at it until she was a husk that her mother may not have even been willing to love any longer, her horrific actions over the years becoming some of the worst performed by any human alive among those who walked from one battlefield to the next or that of a Shinobi and Samurai.

She dragged the unconscious blonde behind her after having patched up the damage she dealt to her, the blondes left leg was cut off at just under the knee, there were some half-hazard bloodied bandages. The woman she dragged was her dear brothers' wife and partner, the one who she vaguely remembered being there when she ripped the eyes from his face and transplanted them like the stone tablet said to achieve this ascended level that prevented her from blinding herself, which she had nearly done when she came across her brother. She remembered the moment with the picture-perfect memory of her damnable clans eyes, the way his face was so happy and bright before she attacked him, by the end his bloody and beaten face was filled with a terror that aroused her to no end seeing the tears on his fearful face right up until the moment she pulled his eyes from his head.

Just remembering the suffering he was experiencing made her bite her lip in a burst of lust, but none the less she was forced to abandon the thoughts as she remembered the woman who's Shozoku collar she currently had her hand tightly holding, she felt annoyed for a moment when she saw the neutral look of peace on her captives face. She made a 'Tch' noise before kicking the blonde in the ribs, it made her feel slightly better, she just wanted to violate this pristinely beautiful woman, but she understood that she couldn't not yet anyway.

She travelled for a day until she reached a large canyon that had a waterfall the flowed into a catchment she might have once called beautiful but right now it reminded her of the plaything she threw to the ground in front of her after all the wenches name had something to do with water. Pulling out a rope she had, she bound the one-legged blonde and attached her to a tree next to the water when she decided to go off and hunt herself something.

**88888888**

Kasumi looked to Keisuke as the older woman sat next to her and spoke "Now that you've healed and made a full recovery, what are you going to do?" she asked looking to the girl she had spent several years looking after.

"I'm not quite sure yet Mum…" Kasumi answered trailing off at thinking of what she wanted to do, one thing was obvious and that was finding her little brother.

"Well, maybe you could stay with me? I know I'm not your real mother… but that doesn't change the fact that I love you like my own daughter." Keisuke said with uncertainty.

"…I love you too, but I'm twenty this year… so I'd like to go make something of myself and hopefully find my brother." Kasumi said with a slightly sad smile, she was her own adult and she felt she was more than okay to explore the world properly.

Smiling the older woman nodded understanding her adopted daughters wish to find the brother she had told her about near the beginning of the time together, she watched as Kasumi got up from the low table they were at and walked off into her room, Kei decided to head outside into the garden she had and visited a small grave, it was marked with a flower and on a headstone she put there was inscribed a poem about fireworks.

Kasumi had gone to her room to begin packing, she had been with Keisuke for four going on five years and so she had amassed a few things since then, among what little things she had for herself was mostly just clothing and beauty products that her surrogate mother brought for her. She decidedly packed a few of the more lavish kimono's she had so that she might finally get to use them beyond the few times she had gone to the few festivals held in the nearby villages. Kasumi was smiling to herself while she packed things into a silk bag that she had gotten for her eighteenth birthday, the smile she wore was one of her remembering all the good times she had with Kei, the older woman had stopped her from doing things she might have regretted.

When she was finished putting several pairs of clothes into the bag she headed out into the village that they lived on the outskirts of, they lived about a thirty-minute walk from the village meaning that often enough if she wished to go there for something the trip had to have another reason so it wasn't a waste of time or it was some kind of emergency. The village itself isn't all that big and most of its trades are from a travelling merchant band that has a route that goes through the entirety of the Land of Fire, Kasumi had a few interactions with them when she was in a worse state earlier in her time with Keisuke so her memories around it are a bit muddled. All things considered that part of her life was one she wanted to forget and move past, but no matter how hard she tried her mind always wandered back to thinking about what it would be like had she died, or if she had killed the entire Uchiha clan like she wanted to.

Those thoughts rarely surfaced for her so she was far enough along her road to recovery now that she felt fine about being by herself, which lead her to her younger brother who she was going to start searching for tomorrow, at this point though she mostly just hoped he was fine. She couldn't do much of anything besides hoping and praying upon Izanagi, Izanami and all their children that he would be guided safely through his life by them.

**888888**

I couldn't understand her anymore… she changed, I'm not sure what happened since she went to the Uchiha's after running away but something changed her. She's suddenly either super confident in her abilities or suicidal, because she told Madara that we didn't need his help and that it was unwanted… I-I just don't get her… At the very least though she seemed to be fine using Chakra again without any drawbacks, so I guess she managed to deal with it.

I'm still so terrified though, that woman was just so powerful, I have no idea how we're supposed to take her or what Kazumi plans to do when we find her. She seemingly left an easy trail for us to follow when I took Kazu to the scene to start trying to track our lost Aunt down, most of the trail we found was Mums dried blood and the drag marks in the dirt, it looked like someone had dragged a sack of meat through the forest. After about four or five hours of tracking the obvious signs of where Kasumi had taken Mum we came out into an opening, it was this valley like area with a lake at the bottom of a waterfall, the blood trail led over to a tree where a bloodied beaten form of a woman was tied to a tree laid.

"Mu-" the words caught in my throat as I ran over to her and began trying to wake her up, I looked behind me and saw Kazumi frozen with a heartbroken look on her face as she saw the damage to Mum. Her wounds weren't going to kill her at this stage, but they might have at an earlier point, it seemed to me that Kasumi had kept her from dying just yet.

when my gaze returned to Mums form a pang of heartache shot through me as I saw the missing leg and the crimson soaked cloth wrapped around her stump, her body was covered in lacerations as well, ones that seemed to be more recent possibly within the last day. I heard Kazumi begin to take slow steps towards me as I tried my best examine Mums body for any wounds that were so severe that we wouldn't be able to move her, there didn't seem to be anything beyond the missing leg. When Kazumi collapsed on her knees next to me I could see blood streaming from her eyes like tears, I-I… her eyes weren't normal… the design in her Sharingan was floral in likeness it was sort of beautiful if not for the crushed look on her face.

She wiped the tears away leaving the crimson liquid to stain her face as well as leave dark patches on the Uchiha coat she was still wearing.

In an instant I was flung out of the way with Mum, not even getting a second to realise what was happening before being forced to catch Mums body to make sure she was fine, I landed with her in my hand's bridal style and looked back to where we had been. The area was engulfed in flames with Kazumi in the centre of the crater her clothing burnt and singed while her long hair was cut much short the flames seemingly having given her a new hairstyle leaving it at shoulder length with blackened frayed edges. She stood with a grim stern look that watched the shorter woman with scarred features and short dark hair stand on the other end of the lake, the dark-haired woman grinned viciously as her onyx eyes washed over the threat before her. Kazumi tensed up clenching her hands before suddenly going slack, after a moment her eyes blazed back into that floral pattern having come out of it for a moment.

"Your genjutsu aren't particularly good Aunty." I watched her state flatly as she began to move forward.

The older woman lurched forward her hair blowing around in the wind as a breeze rolled through the area. Kasumi was wearing the same clothes she had been in when she attacked Mother and I, she was in a something similar to a monk's samue though in a lavender colour with a metal chain wrapped around both her forearms leaving bloodied marks, the chain the hung off was quite lengthy with kunai attached to the ends. I watched as she gripped the chains tighter before throwing herself into the air towards us whipping the weapons out at Kazumi.

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**AN: Seya**


	26. Chapter 26, An Incandescent Win

**AN: So I'm posting this chapter now so that I can put the final chapter out on Christmas day/25th of December, also its because with these two chapters they're small so it seems wrong to hold off another two months until the story finishes when these last to parts are as short as they are. So yeah the final chapter will be out in a few days.**

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'_Why must fights feel like an eternity has passed when they are fought'_ The deranged unstable Uchiha thought to herself as she dodged out of the way of a kick that was aimed for her mid-section causing her to flip backward out of it. She had been matched by the blonde in front of her and she found it infuriating despite starting the quarrel in the first place, she hadn't realized that the girl had managed to attain the ascended Sharingan, though it wasn't like hers in that its state prevented blindness so she was trying to force her supposed niece into blindness from overusing her abilities. Her eyes were half-lidded as she watched the taller but younger girl in front of her angrily attack while the boy with blue hair was with the stumped mother, the parent and child made her scowl thinking back to her parents or what was left of the memories as hazy as they were.

The battle had gone on for ten minutes and either side had yet to use their Mangekyou abilities though Kazumi was unaware of them, to begin with, Chimon was torn between wanting to leave with his Mother and staying around to help his sister.

Kasumi's eyes watched the pair that her niece was protecting as her chains whipped out and caught the younger blonde girls right arm, as it did her grip tightened before she poured chakra into the chains and threw herself back pulling the chain so hard and heavily that it twisted and tore at the younger girls skin and bone. With a loud squelching and crack that resounded in the area, the arm was torn off at the elbow earning an ear-shattering scream and wail from the pain, Kasumi watched as the daughter of her brother collapsed screaming and as the brother ran across to her and tried to help her.

Her chain whipped out again, this time intended for the boy, but it was met by splashing water as he sunk into the water they were stood on, she cackled a laugh as it still hit the girl crying in pain from the loss of her arm, the boy reappeared with a look of pure shock that made her cackle turn into bellowing laughter at the idiocy displayed by the boy letting his sister have the left side of her face rearranged and slashed up by the Kunai and chain as she pulled them back towards herself.

The crimson liquid was pooling in the water and creating a large red patch underneath them, Chimon grabbed his paling sister and began to drag her to where their mother was laying still unconscious. He was hoping upon any deity that might help him that their supposed Aunt would continue to just watch as he tried his best to help patch up and cover the stump of flesh, nerves, and bone that was left on his sisters' right arm. He felt worse and worse as he slowly watched his older sister pale more and more until she fell unconscious from blood loss and he began telling himself mentally that this was all his fault and that he could've prevented this from happening if he'd only been stronger, eventually he managed to at least cover up the stump using a torn off bit of the sleeve.

When he turned to face the deranged woman making his life a hell she was standing idly on the water biting her lip as she watched the pain he was going through, her onyx eyes seemed to glint with delight and joy at seeing his world shattered around him. The chains she held were sunken into the water as she stood in front of him, Chimon exerting all the anger he could possibly muster threw his form towards her with a guttural raw.

"_**RAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!**_" his voice echoed out and deafening as it was, cut short as his right foot planted itself into the dark-haired woman's sternum throwing her across the area into a tree and right through it into another, with a loud crack and pained gasp the tree fell and the woman he had kicked began standing.

Kasumi coughed blood onto the dirt beneath her all the while her body shook and trembled as she tried to drag herself up into a kneeling position, her vision was dazed and fuzzy while she stumbled forward tripping onto her shoulder and face. Chimon watched her with his teeth clenched and his expression was nothing but an angry dark scowl, his gaze followed her as she stumbled and stood with her breathing becoming heavier and covered in her own blood, bits, and pieces of tree bark around her having caused a few cuts all over her.

Her Sharingan was still flaring that same unnatural pattern that he couldn't understand as she looked at him, he gave her no more time to recover and shot forward again this time rushing hand seals for a Jutsu, an enormous water dragon snaked up out of the lake as he did so and flew towards her, she dodged out of the way barely and came back at him with the same Jutsu. Slowly as they continued a back and forth her movements were mirroring his, Chimon felt so stupid for forgetting about such a basic feature of the Sharingan seeing as his sister used it on him all the time.

He was just glad she hadn't used genjutsu on him… "Release!" he announced finding himself back fifteen minutes earlier as he was about to fire off the water dragon at the Uchiha in front of him.

"Finally free." She laughed at him. "You aren't good." Her words were robotic and simple like statements rather than sentences. "You are already dead."

The chain she had been using with the Kunai on the end was suddenly hurtling towards his head and he couldn't move, his body was sluggish and moving it was like trying to push a mountain, his vision flashed with images of his life as the Kunai was already too close for him to do anything.

her eyes opened lazily as her body convulsed with pain and her eyes gazed about seeing the same chain and kunai that maimed her flying towards her paralyzed brother, her vision bled red and she could see everything in a red hue, chakra was a bright blue as it was wrapped around the woman and her weapon, right as the Kunai was about to hit and go through her brothers skull blood seeped from her eyes using all the chakra she had left to form a beautiful pinkish five flower-patterned chakra shield in front of her brother and the Kunai hit it bouncing off into the water. Kazumi watched bleary-eyed as Chimon collapsed into the water sinking as her Aunt watched in confusion as to why his brains weren't splattered over the water and bank.

The Sharingan flaring black-haired woman looked around trying to find where Kazumi's shield had come from.

Kazumi slowly dragged herself up and tiredly wiped the blood from under her right eye, the pain that she felt in what was left of her right arm was immense and near unbelievable making her wane back and forth where she dragged herself up to face Kasumi. Both patterned blood-red eyes met for a mere second and that was all it took for entire hours of illusionary fights to happen, back and forth the two cast genjutsu on one another, eventually, they stopped and with what little chakra Kazumi had in her she prepared for one final attack as her Aunt seemed to be reaching that same point. At the very least Kazumi had cast a subtle genjutsu among the tens of them they had thrown at one another and this subtle one made it so Kasumi viewed her own chakra reserves as much more than reality.

Kazumi saw her aunt with enough left for an underpowered Jutsu, but Kasumi saw herself with enough for at least two massive Jutsu from her eyes along with another precautionary Jutsu she had set in motion. Kazumi watched the woman mirror actions, not because of the Sharingan, but because they were both exhausted and in her case, she knew that all things considered she shouldn't be standing right now let alone conscious enough for this kind of battle, but she needed to protect her family and make sure Chimon was fine as he had surfaced face up moments ago and was floating toward the shore.

She couldn't do hand seals at the moment, not with one arm, but she could try out her other ability that floated through her mind, the one she'd seen Madara do. She had enough for that as far as she could tell, she wondered why Kasumi hadn't used it but played it up to arrogance because the entire fight from the moment they arrived right up until now she hadn't seemed frightened of the prospect that she could lose and exerting an air of confidence.

An oppressive dark, negative pulsating terror-filled augur washed over the area and herself as Kazumi watched Kasumi begin to charge and form chakra around herself in that similar skeletal mass, Kazumi began to choke on the aura as it hazed her version and everything soaked in darkness. It was then that she breathed the words making the astral form project an enormous chakra construct around her – its colour was that of dawn, it was more a maiden than a warrior and it kept the aura at bay, Kazumi watched the wide-eyed confusion grow on her aunts face as the Sussano-o only formed from the waist upheld the five-petal flower shield and in its other hand was simply a lantern.

"_**Eos!**_" The words left Kazumi feeling like they were familiar, but she had never heard or read them in her life.

As she spoke the chant the Sussano-o held the lantern up into the sky and the entire valley up to a just under a mile around them was engulfed in a bright incandescent light that banished every of darkness provided by shadow and even the growing Aura of her aunts seemingly growing power, it scorched and eviscerated the area they were in ignoring her brother and mother.

When the light faded and Kazumi collapsed completely spent, out of chakra and gasping for breath as if her life depended on it more than normal, her stomach rose and fell with each passing breath, her vision while still impaired she could make out the dead form of her aunt, blurry as it was, it filled her with a hollow sense of happiness and victory knowing that the Ghost of her parents past was finally dead, even if there was lasting damage and nothing would ever be the same, but at the very least they had one another.

She felt like she could finally fall asleep and leave everything alone, her eyes began to close eyes watching the dead form-

It stood up.

The form of Kasumi stood up and Kazumi heard a gravely strangled chuckle, it was the hysterical kind that villains would do when they were truly maddened by something they had done, one of her eyes was now white.

Kasumi began to stumble towards her, she felt the most terror she'd felt in her entire life as everything came crashing down, that no matter what everyone had done it was all for nothing that there was nothing they could do to save themselves and kill Kasumi. Her eyes fluttered about as she gained what life back into her system that she could muster and-

Then everything stopped.

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**AN: **


	27. Chapter 27, Epilogue

**AN:**

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"It's been a week since then… don't you think it'll be fine if you leave the room for something other than to come sleep in our bed?" Hime asked looking at me with those bright golden amber eyes of hers, she was right though I had been waiting for them to wake up.

"Yeah… you're right Hime… I'll leave them be for now." I stood up with a grunt, stretching and clicking my back and neck from being stiffly sat in a chair waiting all day. "How's Takumi doing right now then?" I asked following Himeno out of the room into the hallway.

"He's at his friends' right now, he left half an hour ago." She replied stepping into the kitchen as I stopped leaning against the wall. "He was going to say goodbye but stopped himself because he didn't want to bother you while you were waiting for them to wake." Himeno's hands moved with practiced efficiency as she made sandwiches for us and tea.

"Taka shouldn't have to feel that way about it, I would have been more than happy to see him off if not take him to his friends' house." I felt like I had said that more to myself than as a response to my wife.

"You may feel that way, but you aren't showing it very well when you stay cooped up in that room all day waiting for Chimon to wake up, I understand that you feel like you should be there to talk to him because of what Kazumi said-" Himeno walked over cupping my face with her cool hands, her eyes met mine and for a moment her our lips touched in a brief kiss, then she pulled back staring at me. "Don't put all of this on yourself Jun, that's a weight that no one can carry or hold right now… I mean Kumi won't speak at all and s-she's like a shell-" I pulled her into a hug as tears began to form, I had almost forgotten about what happened to Kumi.

Kumi had woken up when Kyousuke and I found them, she was missing her leg and asked us if she had died… after that, we had to tell her that Kazumi had died and Chimon was experiencing some kind of genjutsu related trauma and shock. It was- difficult to watch how her expression changed from worried to broken as her world was shattered around her, Kumi stopped talking and just, in general, doing anything beyond eating and drinking when handed it. Watching the way she did things so hollowly and autonomously was probably one of the most painful things I've ever had the displeasure of seeing, even now she was in the other guest room we had and was just sort of staring into space out the window watching as the world turned.

It was depressing to watch, she no longer reacted in a somewhat energetic fashion, she no longer wore a bright smile, her green eyes no longer held a bright gleam in them. Her eyes were dead – they looked as though they had lost colour and were dulled like a light. Kyousuke had tried to break her out of this funk, but nothing worked, it was the same with Shirou and her partner, everything they could think of wouldn't break it. She was a shell, just like Hime said.

"I'm… s-sorry" I said softly under my breath into her ear, letting one another go she wiped the water from her eyes and a pained smile rose, Hime was strong, I know that she is. But even this is enough to break that, she had been friends with Kumi longer than I and on top of that, it was like seeing a sibling get hurt.

"It's fine…" her voice trailed off. "I can handle myself- l-let's have lunch and worry about this later." We went and sat on a large grey couch that was in the living room and slowly made our way through what she had made for us.

Not long after I cleaned up the dishes I saw Himeno off, she had to go to work in the rice fields we both worked in, we had been taking working in shifts initially if not at the same time, but with what happened to the Shimizu's I had been home all week while she was out working for us. I walked around the outside of the house to where there was a faucet and a bucket next to one another, with them was also some gardening tools, I filled the bucket with water and went over to the flower bed that lined the outside of our wooden house. While I was watering the flowers, I noticed mold growing on the tiles of the roof and made sure to write it down in a small notebook I carried with me for this sort of thing.

I spent the rest of the day around the house doing chores and normally boring work, like cleaning the roof tiles, checking the stone base of the house to make sure it wasn't crumbling, cleaning rooms- that meaning new sheets and headrest pillows, dusting and opening curtains so the sunlight could breathe some life into them. I paused for a while when I stood outside the room Kumi was in and then the room Chimon was in before I went into to them.

By the time it was late afternoon Taka had returned home and I swept him up into a hug until he wheezed out a plea for me to stop, Himeno came home an hour or two after Taka and did the same thing I did to him, though she didn't wait for him to plea before putting him down. He was ten going on eleven years old now, it felt like only a week ago Himeno was jumping for joy when we found out the news that she was pregnant, that had been a good day for us.

When he finally woke up Himeno was the person that was in the guest room at the time, she had been in the middle of moving him back onto the bed after switching out the sheets. I wasn't home at the time it happened, but Taka was there in my place to help his mother with Chimon and helped keep the pale boy in the bed for his own good seeing as he had been in a coma for a week and a half, so he had next to no strength and only confusion to go off of when he had woken to being tucked into bed by a woman he didn't recognize at first.

I arrived at home maybe half an hour later to Taka standing guard in the room while Hime was filling Chimon up with as much food as she could force down his gullet, the boy looked to me like I was some kind of deity when I stepped into the room and saw the scene.

"You're awake Chimon!" I said walking over to my wife who was sitting next to him with several empty dishes that had crumbs littering them.

"What's going on? Why am I here?" the boy- no my nephew asked looking to me, I guess that Hime hadn't told him.

"Your Aunts and I found you unconscious nearly dead, with your mother missing a leg and brought you two back here." I answered easily, I had a fair amount of time to build up responses to anything he might ask.

"Wait- Mother is here?! Also, what do you mean _us two_? Where is my Sister- _what happened to Kazumi_?" the boy said frantically.

"Your sister is dead," I stated flatly watching the poor boys face contort with horror and pain, the two had always been close, closer than anyone else I knew like them, I can't imagine what it was like hearing those words from me.

"I- no- that's- you can't be right! She's got to be alive!" he continued to get louder, his hands gripped onto my kimono as he pulled himself closer to my face. "You've just gotta go looking for her, I'm sure she's around- probably just walking around the house or something! Yeah, that's it!" his voice came out broken as tears formed.

"I'll tell you something Chimon, your sister came to me about a month or so ago, when she did she detailed to me that she was dying… that she had been for a while but she had gotten to the point where she could tell it was soon that she would die. Kazumi told Hime and I all about what she was experiencing and about how she wanted us to help- while we had never expected her to send an Uchiha hawk to our house saying that you were all in danger of being killed, I plan to do everything in my power in the name of the promise I made her." That girl had come to us, explained everything, not cried but rather accepted death and all she wanted was for her family to be safe.

"so- that's why she sent the hawk before we left-" Chimon cut himself off as he wiped away the tears.

I reached out to my nephew and gave the boy a hug, he needed one right now, this was a lot to take in and honestly I didn't really want to explain the rest of what happened to him so after a moment when he pulled back I told him to stay in bed and I'd be back, so I went off to find the letter that Kazumi had sent us and the letter to her brother she gave us a month ago. When I came back he was wiping tears from his eyes and had a slightly angry look beginning to form.

"Alright, here you go this is the letter she sent us before all this happened and after that, I have something else for you." taking the scroll from me he read over it with a passive expression that seemingly slowly lost its emotion like he was regressing and becoming like that father of his.

He was quiet for a few minutes reading the short letter she sent me and Kyousuke, my niece's letter had maybe ten words maybe a few sentences, all it really said was '_Uncle Jun please I need your help, Mum might be dead and we have to fight an Uchiha, bring help._' not her exact words but still that was essentially what she had said.

"How- I… alright… whats- where's that other thing?" he asked eyes holding a lot less emotion, I felt bad and I wanted him to slow down be he wanted to push through this then I guess I'd let him. I hadn't read the scroll yet that she had left for him so I got in a position to read it as well, after all, she had sealed it and told us when to give it to her brother.

'_Hey, not so little brother,_

_I know it's been a while since we last saw one another. You might be angry, you might be upset, but most importantly you might have gone back to what you were like as a kid, you might have thought things would be easier if you didn't feel. Don't think that, it's bad for your health to regress like that, after all, Mum's going to need your help until you and Chikara finally marry or maybe you find someone else._

_You may be wondering why it is that I made this letter for you and left it with Jun and Himeno, that's because I've been expecting to die for the last while, at the time of writing this it's about a month from when grandma is meant to diagnose me finally, the thing is though, I'm dying and I've known it for a while I've just been hiding it where I could and what you and Mum would see was only a tenth of what I was feeling and experiencing on my own. Don't be annoyed that this was the case, but just know that I hated worrying you two, especially Mum. She lost two partners to war after having their children, we have no idea what kind of weight she's been carrying for years and what that does to her, I know it's easier for her when she sees me because I'm so alike her, but you- you look like Fuugetsu in all but eyes, I have very vague memories of what he looked like but you fit that._

_Don't ever think that I did what I did because I didn't love you. Chimon Shimizu, you are one of the best things in my life, though I never said it Chikara was already a sister in my eyes after you two started being together and Mum felt the same, she saw her as a daughter. Life is difficult and death is hard to accept, you may think if I loved you I wouldn't have left so easily or would have tried to prevent my death, but that's just because you're mad that I left you alone, you're mad that I won't be there for you anymore._

_I'm not sure if you're reading this out loud but I imagine our Uncle is still in the room with you or is reading it or he might end up reading it later, but I just want him to know that I love him, Himeno and Takumi, that I'm glad Mum had such good friends in her life and that I want Jun to remember what I asked of them when I was there._

_Moving on though… see what I did there? because that's what you should do, I'm not asking for you to forget about me, I'd never ask that after all I'll need someone to remember me by, but I'm asking you to realize that this was my choice to keep things from you and I want you to respect that. This probably just sounds like a bunch of ramblings that make no sense, but that's just how I am right now, I'm preparing to see the other side, I'm waiting to see the river of the dead and hopefully meet our Fathers._

_One last thing before I sign off this letter and take it Jun and Hime to hold onto for me, watch out for our Aunt, dad's sister that is. she's an Uchiha and I can tell you that as someone with a Sharingan… it does things to you and so if she's alive then she may come after Mum_

_In loving memory from your super amazing, mega-awesome Sister that will love you until time stops and the world dies- Kazumi Shimizu._

'

Below that was what looked like her names Kanji written out with their meanings.

I watched Chimon for a while in silence before he burst into tears and all the emotion that he had been suppressing up until this point came out in full force, I loved the kid he was basically my son with how close we've been since he was younger, but this was one of those moments where I wasn't needed. this was what was left of my nephew and good friend...

I left the room.

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**AN: With that Pure Water's Beauty is officially over and I'm grateful for that because it was a series that despite my initial goal for where I had intended the story to go before deciding upon this ending and it took a very very different route from what I had planned initially which ended up shaking my writing up for a while. I'm also thankful to those of you who read this far and did continue to read it as well as follow or favourite it, I haven't really got much else to say so uh Happy Holidays.**


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